Eyeworld

40 | EYEWORLD | WINTER 2026 ATARACT C By Kendall Donaldson, MD, MS Cataract Editor mentors who help translate practice into sound surgical judgment. Preparation for a successful career extends beyond surgical training. In this issue's YES Connect column, Vance Thompson, MD, Nicole Fram, MD, and William Trattler, MD, share lessons about building a practice that many of us received little formal instruction in during residency. Their advice brings us back to the daily work of communicating with referring physicians, educating our staff, and creating a culture in which people feel valued. For young ophthalmologists, these decisions shape both their professional opportunities and the expe- rience they offer their patients. For those of us further along in our careers, the article is an invitation to consider what we can improve— and what we should be teaching colleagues who follow in our footsteps. As we consider the expanding constellation of possibilities in ophthalmology, I find myself thinking about the work that makes progress possible: giving a resident or fellow useful feedback, serving as a mentor for those earlier in their career, helping a colleague navigate an early practice decision, or asking why a patient still lacks a reasonable treatment option. These are opportunities to shape the future of ophthalmology. Opportunities to improve our diagnostics, treatments, and practice infrastruc- ture translate into better patient outcomes, safety, and overall improvement of the patient experience. Expanding the possibilities of cataract care A s cataract sur- geons, we spend much of our time focused on the next patient or the next procedure. But sometimes, we need to take a step back and broaden our outlook beyond today, into the future of our field. What will help us prepare the next generation of surgeons? What will allow our practices to grow while preserving the care and attention our patients need? And where do the limits of our current options leave us searching for a better solution? The Winter issue of EyeWorld explores these questions through a discussion of the unmet needs in ophthalmology, surgical simulation, and the lessons of practice building. Togeth- er, these topics remind us that the future of cataract care depends on much more than the technology we bring into the operating room. The discussion of unmet needs adds an- other dimension to this issue focusing on the future of our field. Even with the many options available in cataract surgery, we continue to en- counter patients whose circumstances challenge our existing approaches. Those cases deserve our attention. Identifying where care falls short gives research and innovation a clear purpose and helps us ask whether a new approach will address a meaningful problem for patients. David F. Chang, MD, Kevin M. Miller, MD, Ayman Naseri, MD, and Kuldev Singh, MD, share their experiences and thoughts on this. In the article on surgical simulation, Hunter Cherwek, MD, Jeff Pettey, MD, and Grace Sun, MD, discuss how repeated practice and mean- ingful feedback can help prepare trainees before they operate on patients. As someone who teaches residents and fellows, I appreciate the opportunity to give a young surgeon time to work through a difficult step, recognize an error, and try again in a controlled setting. Simulation also creates opportunities to develop confidence alongside technical skills. Looking forward, more accessible platforms and AI-as- sisted feedback may help us tailor training to each learner. The challenge will be to pair these tools with thoughtful curricula and engaged Opportunities to improve our diagnostics, treatments, and practice infrastructure translate into better patient outcomes, safety, and overall improvement of the patient experience.

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