Alcon

What in the ophthalmic field is your team most excited about right now?

 

For over 75 years, Alcon has brought new innovations to many surgical fields, including cataract and vitreoretinal surgery. It’s an exciting time in ophthalmology where we can offer surgeons a comprehensive equipment ecosystem. We’ve had many advancements just in the past few years, including our entry into preoperative diagnostics with ARGOS^® Biometer with Image Guidance, which can help match patients with the right type of IOL and send surgical data from the clinic to the OR. For our R&D team, we are energized about the possibilities of AI to simplify the surgical process and support surgeons in delivering optimal patient outcomes.

 

In what area of ophthalmology do you think your team can make a unique impact?

 

We can make a unique impact in the field of ophthalmology because we consider the entire ophthalmic ecosystem in how we approach R&D. It’s not just about a few pieces of equipment. It’s about leveraging the power of a full ecosystem.

 

We want to ensure that our portfolio of products enhances the user experience. Our proprietary customer support tools allow us to create touchpoints with customers to further improve device performance. Our R&D team focuses on ensuring consistency and connectivity with our equipment, while leveraging data throughout the patient journey.

 

What are the biggest challenges when it comes to making an impact with new technology or innovations?

 

We must remember: ophthalmologists, in addition to being incredible surgeons, have businesses to run. They need solutions that address ever-changing patient needs and lessen the logistical burden on their practices. What’s more: not every ophthalmic office or OR has the same needs or equipment. The solution lies in creating flexible technology and solutions capable of meeting various workflows and adapting to changing situations.

 

What does pursuing excellence look like for your team?

 

I’ve been in the field of ophthalmic research and development for my entire career, which gives me a perspective on how technology effectively comes to life in the clinic. Excellence for my team means delivering the right products at the right time for physicians and patients. We want to provide the best individual solutions to preoperative, operative, and postoperative customer needs across all the ophthalmic specialities: cataract, refractive, vitreoretinal, dry eye, glaucoma and more. That’s why we’ve designed our suite of devices to ultimately work together so that the whole is much greater than the sum of the parts.

 

What are your 5–10-year predictions for innovation in the ophthalmic field?

 

Most leaders in the field see the use of robotics in ophthalmic surgery expanding. If you think about it, we already use robotics systems like refractive surgery lasers and FLACS systems. We will likely see the use of robotics expand to increase efficiency and improve reproducibility of procedures.

 

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