David Chang

Private practice, Altos Eye Physicians, Los Altos, California; Clinical professor, University of California, San Francisco, USA

What would you like to see change in ophthalmology/your subspecialty over the next 10 years – and why?

Due to the high global volume of cataract surgery, economic and environmental sustainability is a major challenge. Amazingly, the healthcare system accounts for nine percent of carbon emissions in the United States and about a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions from the entire global healthcare sector. Operating room waste from cataract surgery is excessive and much of it is made compulsory by a web of regulations that are neither evidence-based nor necessary. We can learn from low/low-middle income country (LMIC)-based institutions, such as Aravind, who have made cataract surgery more cost-effective and sustainable by reducing needless waste of resources. Our high and increasing surgical volume obligates us to collaborate with industry to reduce ophthalmology’s carbon footprint.

What is your proudest contribution to ophthalmology/your subspecialty?

I’ve tried to use my voice to highlight the need to reduce needless surgical waste in ophthalmology. With the ASCRS executive board’s support, I’ve led a team that created EyeSustain.org, which is a coalition of global eye societies and their members who are collaborating to advance sustainability in ophthalmology. ESCRS and AAO have joined ASCRS as co-sponsors of EyeSustain and we have more than 20 additional global member eye societies. We hope that this will be a platform for education, advocacy, innovation, and collaboration across our profession.