Marie-José Tassignon

Head of Department, University Hospital of Antwerp and University of Antwerp; University Hospital of Brussels-VUB, Belgium

What industry trends are catching your attention right now?

I’m interested in making surgical procedures more precise, especially when it comes to cataract surgery. Even though we are quite proficient at it already, there is still room for improvement. For example, we need better intraocular lenses (IOLs) and more accurate ways to line them up with the visual axis. The next big challenge will be ensuring that cataract surgery is performed at a consistently good level across the world, right from the start of training. 

How do you think AI and machine learning will impact ophthalmology?

AI will not revolutionize ophthalmology on its own. It needs ophthalmologists to guide the scientists involved in the development of AI. There is plenty of potential here, but how far we go depends on making the right choices; it is about defining how AI can best serve our specific needs in the field. 

What global trends in eye health should ophthalmologists be aware of?

The worldwide harmonization of preferred practices within ophthalmology should no longer be a dream. Progress in this field can lower complication rates and alleviate the burden of sight-threatening conditions. In my opinion, we should prioritize teaching with high technology as the primary surgical approach, as opposed to using outdated traditional techniques. Can you imagine if low-income countries invested in cables for traditional communication instead of using the internet? It would be a waste of money and time, and the same goes for technology – start with contemporary techniques first.