Eyeworld Daily News

34 | EYEWORLD DAILY NEWS | MAY 6, 2023 ASCRS ANNUAL MEETING DAILY NEWS these dedicated young individuals. We hope that enabling deserving, early-career ophthalmologists to forge these contacts and experienc- es will inspire lifelong interest in humanitarian work. I want to take this opportunity to thank the many generous donors and volunteers who have supported the Foundation's mission over the past decade. We can all take pride in what has been accomplished." Dr. MacDonald has been a member of the Foundation Board of Directors for 5 years and has been involved with philanthropic eyecare her whole career. "There is a true sense of purpose and joy in giving people back their sight. That mo- ment when someone can see again is very special. When we give our time to help those in need, it is a very moving experience," Dr. MacDonald said. "Volunteering can take many different forms; it can be in direct care, and it can also be teaching and mentoring." Dr. MacDonald is an associate clinical professor of ophthalmology surgeons halfway around the world from their own homes." Dr. Chang, reflecting on the Foundation's accomplishments over the years, said that its Operation Sight program, which launched under the leadership of Stephen Lane, MD, and Kerry Solomon, MD, to provide charitable cataract surgery in the U.S., has provided more than 8,000 charitable surgeries to Amer- icans in need. Internationally, he praised the work of the Foundation to fund and promote innovative new technologies, such as miLOOP (Carl Zeiss Meditec), manual small incision ECCE, telemedicine, and a manual SICS virtual reality simulator in col- laboration with Orbis. "Barbara Erny, MD, our tireless medical liaison for international programs, has worked with Hima- layan Cataract Project and other non-profits in Ethiopia to strengthen residency training," Dr. Chang said. "This includes establishing formal residency directorships at all six training programs in the country. We've partnered with Carl Zeiss Meditec on a unique grant program to donate refurbished equipment to international training programs in need. "I'm most proud of our Young Eye Surgeons International Service Grant program, which I think is unique as a society foundation award program," Dr. Chang said. "Applicants who are selected receive financial support for a formal international service project. Even more valuable, however, is the coaching and help in arranging their project provided by a team of experienced mentors from the Foundation. We have now selected the fourth class of awardees, and we've all been so impressed with "Thank you, Dr. Chang, for your guidance, leadership, and endorse- ment of our new chair. Dr. MacDonald has served on the ASCRS Foundation board for years and has a lifelong his- tory of philanthropic work. Under her leadership, we are looking forward to continuing our legacy of providing the gift of sight to the financially vulnera- ble around the world." —Megan Odell, ASCRS Foundation Associate Director D avid Chang, MD, has served as chair or co-chair of the ASCRS Foundation Board of Directors for nearly a decade, and now he will pass the torch to Susan MacDonald, MD. Dr. Chang joined the Board of Directors in 2010 and became co- chair in 2014, overseeing the ASCRS Foundation's International Division. In 2022, he assumed the sole role of chair of the Board of Directors for the Foundation. "I've long thought that the Foun- dation's primary role is two-fold. First is to educate ASCRS members and our industry partners about the global burden of cataract blind- ness and what the most promising solutions are. Second is to identify the most effective organizations and opportunities for ASCRS mem- bers who want to make donations or volunteer their time," Dr. Chang wrote in an email to EyeWorld. "The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the evolution and refinement of virtual surgical mentorship technology, such as those employed by the Advanced Center for Eyecare (ACE) Global and Orbis Cybersight. I am excited about this nascent opportunity for ASCRS members to help mentor cataract Welcoming a new ASCRS Foundation chair Dr. MacDonald performs a slit lamp exam on a preop patient in Songea, Tanzania. Source: Susan MacDonald, MD

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