28 | EYEWORLD DAILY NEWS | MAY 7, 2023
ASCRS ANNUAL MEETING
DAILY NEWS
In addition to his work with
venture capital companies, Dr. Link
currently serves on the board of
several private companies and three
public companies (LENSAR, RxSight,
and Tarsus Pharmaceuticals). Dr.
Link received his BS, MS, and PhD
from Purdue University.
"[It is] a privilege to be selected
to give the Charles D. Kelman, MD,
Innovator's Lecture," Dr. Link said.
"Early in my career, I had the good
fortune to work with Dr. Kelman. My
life and career have been impacted
by what I observed and learned from
this stalwart innovator."
The Charles D. Kelman, MD,
Innovator's Lecture and Medal hon-
ors the work of individuals whose
creativity has benefited ophthalmolo-
gists and their patients.
W
illiam
Link,
PhD, has
been on
the innovation side
of eyecare for more
than 40 years, so
it's only fitting that his topic for the
Charles D. Kelman, MD, Innovator's
Lecture will reflect on the history and
status of innovation in ophthalmol-
ogy.
"There are multiple key stages
that successful innovation must pass
through. I will share my perspective
on this cycle of innovation," said Dr.
Link, who specializes in early stage
investing in medical devices.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Dr.
Link founded and helped build two
enduring ophthalmic companies. The
first was American Medical Optics,
which would later become Advanced
Medical Optics, then Abbott Medical
Optics (AMO). AMO was acquired by
Johnson & Johnson Vision in 2017.
The second company was Chiron Vi-
sion, which was acquired by Bausch
+ Lomb in 1997.
After this Dr. Link got in-
volved with healthcare investment,
co-founding Versant Ventures and
Flying L Partners.
"During my investment career,
I have invested in and helped build
nearly 30 ophthalmic companies," he
said, among them IntraLase, Eye-
onics, AcuFocus, Glaukos, Wavetec,
LenSx, Oculeve, Oyster Point, Rx-
Sight, and Tarsus Pharmaceuticals.
Before entering the healthcare
industry, Dr. Link was an assistant
professor in the Department of Sur-
gery at Indiana University School of
Medicine.
William Link, PhD, to deliver the Charles D. Kelman, MD,
Innovator's Lecture
