Ben LaHood

Ophthalmologist, Adelaide Eye and Laser Centre, Adelaide, Australia; The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Adelaide, Australia; The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia

What major industry trends are catching your attention right now?

"Sustainability" has been a trending buzzword in the ophthalmic industry over the past few years. We all see the large amount of waste we produce, which is massively out of proportion with the microscopic surgery we perform. Although I'm sure there has been some real progress in this area, there has also been a lot of virtue signaling from companies that has made me question if they are doing enough to improve our situation. We are finally starting to see actual changes reach our operating rooms with digitalization of information sheets, and reduction in packaging layers. I look forward to this trend for action continuing to spread.

What is a little-known fact about you?

I am in the final stages of releasing a cosmetic product specifically for eyelid skin to help protect eyelids from the elements, as well as providing anti-aging properties. This stems from working in the sunny environments of New Zealand and Australia, where removing eyelid skin lesions and reconstructing eyelids is far too common. This has been a project many years in the making, so it is very exciting to see it become a reality this year.