In this episode, John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, and Jim Mazzo are live from Octane's Ophthalmology Technology Forum with guests Tibor Juhasz, PhD, Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, Sumit "Sam" Garg, MD and Jean-Pierre Hubschman, MD.

• Welcome to the Eyeluminaries podcast 00:05
• Review of episode 33 00:49
• Intro of Tibor Juhasz, PhD 01:35
• Tell us about your background and how you changed LASIK, cataract and glaucoma surgery. 02:27
• How is ViaLase impacting glaucoma treatment? 06:55
• How the treatment works 08:24
• The importance of having a good team 11:02
• Intro of Richard L. Lindstrom, MD 12:58
• What is your perspective on what is happening today and what changes are you hoping for? 14:28
• Integrated eye care delivery 17:00
• Dentistry, a future model for eye care 17:50
• Post-graduate medical education is changing 19:09
• Was there a technology that you thought was a slam dunk and failed? 23:01
• Any technology that you didn't expect to take off? 24:37
• Intro of Sumit "Sam" Garg, MD 26:58
• What do you see changing in ophthalmology residency programs around the country? 28:52
• How do you instruct young physicians to be collaborative in care? 30:42
• If you weren't a cornea specialist (or a model) what would you be? 32:10
• Advice for young ophthalmologists today? 33:42
• Share a Jim Mazzo story with us! 35:28
• Intro of Jean-Pierre Hubschman, MD 37:07
• Why did you, with a robotics company, decide to start in cataract surgery? 38:23
• How do you become more efficient in robotic surgery? 41:00
• How do we work on the economic side of this? 43:38
• What's it like running a company vs being a retina surgeon? 44:46
• Give us your feedback 48:16
• Thanks for listening 48:30

Tibor Juhasz, PhD, is the founder and CEO of ViaLase Inc. He was also the co-founder of IntraLase and LenS.

Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, is the founder and an attending surgeon at Minnesota Eye Consultants, an adjunct professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota, department of ophthalmology as well as the global chief medical editor of Ocular Surgery News.

Sumit "Sam" Garg, MD, is the medical director at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at UC Irvine.

Jean-Pierre Hubschman, MD, is the co-founder and CEO of Horizon Surgical Systems.

We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow John Hovanesian on X (formerly Twitter) @DrHovanesian.

Disclosures: Hovanesian consults widely in the ophthalmic field. Mazzo reports being an advisor for Anivive Lifesciences, Avellino Labs, Bain Capital, CVC Capital and Zeiss; executive chairman of Neurotech, Preceyes BV and TearLab; and sits on the board of Crystilex, Centricity Vision, IanTech, Lensgen and Visus. Healio could not confirm disclosures for Garg, Hubschman, Juhasz, and Lindstrom at the time of publication.

In this episode John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, and Jim Mazzo are live from SightLine at the ASCRS meeting with guests Nicole R. Fram, MD, Kerry D. Solomon, MD, Vance Thompson, MD, and Steve Speares.

• Welcome to the Eyeluminaries podcast 00:02
• Review of episode 32 00:55
• Intro of Nicole Fram, MD 01:16
• Tell us why the MAHRVELS team is likely to be the leading fundraisers and why you picked your character for the team to portray (The Scarlet Witch)? 02:24
• Meeting about complications from cataract surgery, what do you think is the next big phase on how we're going to handle complications with technology? 04:05
• Psychology of managing patients/conveying care 05:42
• What advice do you give to people who are starting their career? 06:50
• Intro of Kerry Solomon, MD 09:30
• What do we often get wrong with cataract surgery and what do we often get right? 10:25
• How do you stay an entrepreneur and a leading physician? 11:55
• What is Operation Sight? How did you create it? 14:19
• Where will keratorefractive surgery and lens-based surgery be in 5 or 10 years? 18:30
• Intro of Vance Thompson, MD 21:24
• What's it like to be ASCRS president? 21:59
• What is BRiCS and why is it important? 23:54
• You've created a culture; can you talk about that culture you've created at your institute? 29:30
• Tell us about your winery! 33:28
• Intro of Steve Speares 36:45
• ASCRS just wrapped up. Your idea of creating a SightLine with a business approach, what did you do and what was the idea? 38:00
• As you look back and you look ahead, what changes do you hope to make? What do you hope your legacy will be at ACSRS? 40:57
• Can you expand more on how Washington, DC and Trump administration will impact your society/group? 44:19
• Richard Lindstrom in ASCRS hall of fame, tell us your own perspective and a good story 46:29
• Preview of episode 34 52:09
• Give us your feedback 52:40
• Thanks for listening 52:56

Nicole Fram, MD, is an adjunct assistant professor at the John A. Moran Eye Institute at the University of Utah. She is also the secretary for ASCRS, is a member of the Cataract Clinical Committee, and leads the Ophthalmology Quicksand Chronicles podcast with co-host Elizabeth Yeu, MD.

John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, is a faculty member at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and in private practice at Harvard Eye Associates in Laguna Hills, California.

Jim Mazzo is an ophthalmic industry veteran with over 40 years as CEO/chairman of both public and private companies, including Allergan, Avellino Labs, Carl Zeiss, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals and AMO. Additionally, he is an advisor for Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners and sits on numerous industry boards such as MDMA.

Kerry Solomon, MD, is internationally renowned for LASIK and refractive cataract surgery. He is the co-founder of Operation Sight. He is the former chairman of the ASCRS FDA Committee.

Steve Speares, MD, is the executive director at ASCRS.

Vance Thompson, MD, is the founder of Vance Thompson Vision and director of refractive surgery in Sioux Falls, SD. He serves as a professor of ophthalmology at the Sanford School of Medicine at the University of South Dakota. Thompson is the immediate past president of ASCRS.

We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow John Hovanesian on X (formerly Twitter) @DrHovanesian.

Disclosures: Hovanesian consults widely in the ophthalmic field. Mazzo reports being an advisor for Anivive Lifesciences, Avellino Labs, Bain Capital, CVC Capital and Zeiss; executive chairman of Neurotech, Preceyes BV and TearLab; and sits on the board of Crystilex, Centricity Vision, IanTech, Lensgen and Visus. Healio could not confirm relevant financial disclosures for Fram, Speares, Solomon, and Thompson at the time of publication.

In this episode, John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, and Jim Mazzo discuss the latest news from Washington with guest Mark Leahey.

• Welcome to the Eyeluminaries podcast :02
• Review of episode 31 :40
• BVI Medical names a new CCO 2:20
• GE HealthCare names Jeannette Bankes president and CEO, Patient Care Solutions 5:42
• Tenpoint submits new drug application for presbyopia combination therapy 7:33
• Alcon acquires majority stake in Aurion Biotech 10:29
• FDA approves Encelto for macular telangiectasia type 2 14:50
• Intro of Mark Leahey 17:28
• There is a lot of attention on the HHS restructuring. What are your insights into what has happened to date, and what could happen in the future? 20:10
• What do you think about the leadership? 23:44
• Let's talk about sustainability. Tell us about the medical device industry's collective interest and challenges in regard to moving toward environmentally sustainable initiatives. 24:59
• Let's talk about leadership: Dr. Marty Makary and Dr. Oz. 27:53
• Tariffs are an evolving subject. What is the impact on the medical community? What is your impression on how these will affect us in the short term and long term? 33:20
• Preview of episode 33 39:27
• Give us your feedback 40:23
• Team Mah-rvel: the Party for a Purpose 40:41
• Thanks 40:58

John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, is a faculty member at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and in private practice at Harvard Eye Associates in Laguna Hills, California.

Mark Leahey is the president and CEO for the Medical Device Manufacturers Association (MDMA).

Jim Mazzo is an ophthalmic industry veteran with over 40 years as CEO/chairman of both public and private companies, including Allergan, Avellino Labs, Carl Zeiss, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals and AMO. Additionally, he is an advisor for Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners and sits on numerous industry boards such as MDMA.

We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow John Hovanesian on X (formerly Twitter) @DrHovanesian.

Disclosures: Hovanesian consults widely in the ophthalmic field. Mazzo reports being an advisor for Anivive Lifesciences, Avellino Labs, Bain Capital, CVC Capital and Zeiss; executive chairman of Neurotech, Preceyes BV and TearLab; and sits on the board of Crystilex, Centricity Vision, IanTech, Lensgen and Visus. Healio could not confirm relevant financial disclosures for Leahey.

In this episode, John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, and Jim Mazzo are live from the Hawaiian Eye meeting with guests Paul Singh, MD, Candy Simerson, Jeffrey Goldberg, MD, PhD, and Roger Goldberg, MD, MBA.

• Welcome to the Eyeluminaries podcast :02
• Review of episode 30 3:23
• Intro of Paul Singh, MD 3:40
• What are the future trends in glaucoma you're most excited about? 5:10
• What challenges do you see in running your practice that didn't exist in your dad's day? 8:36
• You've got a great medical office, a very busy consulting and research practice, you play in a band and you have a young family. What advice would you give others in keeping it all in balance? 12:09
• Besides your dad and the two of us, who do you look up to in eye care? 14:45
• Singh sings a Funkadesi song 18:16
• Intro of Candy Simerson 20:36
• When you come into a new practice to consult, what are the most common areas you see where improvement can be made? 21:41
• What about the finances? What areas in finances do you see where improvement can be made? 24:27
• In your many years in ophthalmology, what are the biggest challenges you've experienced? 26:10
• What type of practice should consider a sale to private equity? What type of practice should not? 29:34
• What advice would you give a company representative who wants to win business from a big ophthalmology practice? 32:29
• Intro of the Goldbergs 36:25
• Jeff Goldberg, MD, PhD 36:50
• Roger Goldberg, MD, MBA 37:21
• Jeff, why glaucoma instead of retina? 38:43
• Roger, why retina instead of glaucoma? 39:37
• Mazzo discusses neuroprotection in retina and glaucoma. 41:14
• What is entrepreneurship like today? What's your advice? What is challenging and what is positive? 43:10
• Mazzo discusses being realistic about innovations. 48:30
• What is private practice like today? 49:31
• How do cornea specialists better understand glaucoma specialists? 53:05
• How do cornea specialists better understand retina specialists? 54:13
• Tell us about emmecell. 55:50
• Preview of episode 32 59:19
• Give us your feedback 1:00:18
• Thanks 1:00:30

Jeffrey Goldberg, MD, PhD, is professor and chair of ophthalmology at the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University and a member of the National Academy of Medicine.

Roger Goldberg, MD, MBA, board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology and is an active member of the American Society of Retinal Specialists, the Retina Society and the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, is a faculty member at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and in private practice at Harvard Eye Associates in Laguna Hills, California.

Jim Mazzo is an ophthalmic industry veteran with over 40 years as CEO/chairman of both public and private companies, including Allergan, Avellino Labs, Carl Zeiss, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals and AMO. Additionally, he is an advisor for Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners and sits on numerous industry boards such as MDMA.

Candy Simerson is the senior vice president of practice operations at Vision Integrated Partners.

I. Paul Singh, MD, is the president of The Eye Centers of Racine & Kenosha, Ltd., founded in 1981 by his father, Dr. Kanwar A. Singh. He is a founding member of the band, Funkadesi, a mix of Indo-Afro-Caribbean style music. The band tours the world spreading the message "one family, many children."

We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow John Hovanesian on X (formerly Twitter) @DrHovanesian.

Disclosures: Hovanesian consults widely in the ophthalmic field. Mazzo reports being an advisor for Anivive Lifesciences, Avellino Labs, Bain Capital, CVC Capital and Zeiss; executive chairman of Neurotech, Preceyes BV and TearLab; and sits on the board of Crystilex, Centricity Vision, IanTech, Lensgen and Visus. Healio could not confirm relevant financial disclosures for the Goldbergs, Simerson and Singh at the time of publication.

In this episode, John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, and Jim Mazzo discuss the latest news and trends and chat with Steven Dell, MD, about his career and the creation of markets in the field of ophthalmology.

• Welcome to the Eyeluminaries podcast :02
• Review of episode 29 1:28
• Bausch + Lomb acquires Elios Vision 2:07
• ImprimisRx awarded $34.9 million in trademark infringement suit against OSRX 5:00
• Study of atropine-based myopia treatment fails to meet primary efficacy endpoint 7:31
• Intro of Steven Dell, MD 11:20
• You have created markets with new technologies and companies. Can that continue in today's market? 13:28
• Dell discusses presbyopia market development. 14:11
• You created a questionnaire that you used in your practice, which has become known as the Dell Questionnaire. What do we need to do better in treating our cataract patients? 16:20
• What technologies are going to be the most important in the future? 20:24
• What has changed in your office environment, i.e., the role of ODs, admin, staff? 22:00
• Dell discusses Lindstrom's Integrated Eye Care Delivery Model. 23:08
• What advice would you give a younger Steven Dell? 27:16
• Neurotech Pharmaceuticals announced that chief commercial officer Scott Hunter died on Dec. 3. 33:06
• Give us your feedback 34:43
• Thanks 34:51

Steven J. Dell, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist in Austin and the Medical Director of Dell Laser Consultants.

John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, is a faculty member at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and in private practice at Harvard Eye Associates in Laguna Hills, California.

Jim Mazzo is an ophthalmic industry veteran with over 40 years as CEO/chairman of both public and private companies, including Allergan, Avellino Labs, Carl Zeiss, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals and AMO. Additionally, he is an advisor for Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners and sits on numerous industry boards such as MDMA.

We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow John Hovanesian on X (formerly Twitter) @DrHovanesian.

Disclosures: Hovanesian consults widely in the ophthalmic field. Mazzo reports being an advisor for Anivive Lifesciences, Avellino Labs, Bain Capital, CVC Capital and Zeiss; executive chairman of Neurotech, Preceyes BV and TearLab; and sits on the board of Crystilex, Centricity Vision, IanTech, Lensgen and Visus. Healio could not confirm relevant financial disclosures for Dell at the time of publication.

In this episode, Jim Mazzo and John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, are live from Eyecelerator with Mend the Gap hosts Susan MacDonald, MD, and Cathleen McCabe, MD, discussing their humanitarian work.

• Welcome to the Eyeluminaries podcast :02
• In this episode :31
• Intro of Susan MacDonald, MD, and Cathleen McCabe, MD 1:00
• What started you on this journey to do humanitarian work? 2:18
• MacDonald discusses the role of parents in defining of happiness. 7:47
• Hovanesian discusses the background of his humanitarian work in Armenia. 8:24
• What about the funding of these humanitarian projects? 9:38
• What are your stories from doing humanitarian work? 10:59
• What advice to do you have for physicians who want to get involved in humanitarian work? 15:43
• Hovanesian discusses the commonalities in MacDonald and McCabe's humanitarian missions. 19:11
• McCabe discusses the commonalities in Hovanesian and MacDonald's humanitarian missions. 19:38
• MacDonald discusses how her humanitarian work began. 20:16
• Thank you. 23:49
• MacDonald talks about the ophthalmic industry and their contribution to humanitarian work. 24:39
• McCabe discusses ways physicians can get involved in humanitarian work without having to travel overseas. 25:30
• Visit ACE Global, Cybersight or Operation Sight to get involved. 25:38
• Mend the Gap podcast 27:37
• Preview of episode 30 29:05
• Give us your feedback 29:25
• Thanks 30:05

John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, is a faculty member at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and in private practice at Harvard Eye Associates in Laguna Hills, California.

Susan MacDonald, MD, is president of Eye Corps and associate clinical professor at Tufts School of Medicine.

Jim Mazzo is an ophthalmic industry veteran with over 40 years as CEO/chairman of both public and private companies, including Allergan, Avellino Labs, Carl Zeiss, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals and AMO. Additionally, he is an advisor for Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners and sits on numerous industry boards such as MDMA.

Cathleen McCabe, MD, is chief medical officer of Eye Health America and medical director of The Eye Associates in Sarasota, FL.

We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow John Hovanesian on X (formerly Twitter) @DrHovanesian.

Disclosures: Hovanesian consults widely in the ophthalmic field. Mazzo reports being an advisor for Anivive Lifesciences, Avellino Labs, Bain Capital, CVC Capital and Zeiss; executive chairman of Neurotech, Preceyes BV and TearLab; and sits on the board of Crystilex, Centricity Vision, IanTech, Lensgen and Visus. MacDonald and McCabe report no relevant financial disclosures.

In this episode, John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, and Jim Mazzo discuss the latest news and trends and chat with Tom Mitro about his career and impact in ophthalmology.

• Welcome to the Eyeluminaries podcast :02
• Review of episode 26 :58
• FDA grants fast track designation to brepocitinib for noninfectious uveitis 1:42
• I. Howard Fine, MD, esteemed ophthalmologist, dies 3:54
• First subjects dosed in phase 3 trial of phentolamine ophthalmic solution for presbyopia 5:48
• LENZ Therapeutics submits NDA for drops to treat presbyopia 7:57
• Intro of Tom Mitro 10:40
• Tell us about your journey in ophthalmology 12:38
• Tell us about the new dry eye drug from Signal 12. 15:53
• How much sensation is on the forehead if the drug is well tolerated? 24:13
• What are your thoughts on the current ophthalmology market? 26:01
• Tell us a funny story about Jim Mazzo and about John Hovanesian. 28:51
• Preview of episode 29 33:25
• Give us your feedback 34:34
• Thanks 34:50

John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, is a faculty member at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and in private practice at Harvard Eye Associates in Laguna Hills, California.

Jim Mazzo is an ophthalmic industry veteran with over 40 years as CEO/chairman of both public and private companies, including Allergan, Avellino Labs, Carl Zeiss, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals and AMO. Additionally, he is an advisor for Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners and sits on numerous industry boards such as MDMA.

Tom Mitro is the president and chief operating officer for Aerie Pharmaceuticals.

We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow John Hovanesian on X (formerly Twitter) @DrHovanesian.

Disclosures: Hovanesian consults widely in the ophthalmic field. Mazzo reports being an advisor for Anivive Lifesciences, Avellino Labs, Bain Capital, CVC Capital and Zeiss; executive chairman of Neurotech, Preceyes BV and TearLab; and sits on the board of Crystilex, Centricity Vision, IanTech, Lensgen and Visus. Healio could not confirm relevant financial disclosures for Mitro at the time of publication.

In this special throwback episode, John Hovanesian, MD, and Jim Mazzo revisit their discussions with Steven Schwartz, MD, and Sean Ianculev, MD, about innovations, treatments and entrepreneurship in eye care.

• Welcome to the Eyeluminaries podcast :10
• About Steven Schwartz, MD 2:32
• The interview 3:16
• Discussion of current innovation in cataract surgery including use of AI, imaging and robotics 4:05
• Discussion on Schwartz's involvement in Neurotech MacTel cell-based treatment 6:32
• Advances and disappointments in retinal disease treatments? 10:32
• How do companies come back from disappointing trial results? 11:07
• Why do retina discoveries take so long to develop? 14:31
• New dry AMD treatments in development? 15:58
• Drug delivery technologies and will retina specialists use them?
• What do you predict we'll be doing differently in medicine 2 years from now and why? 22:00
• What's the difference between a retina and cornea specialist? 23:52
• Introduction of Sean Ianchulev, MD, MPH 25:38
• The interview 26:29
• Impact on Google Glass 30:27
• What innovations are you proud of and what projects are you excited about? 35:31
• What advice do you have for new entrepreneurs? 42:16
• How do you balance your work life and your home life? 45:25
• Legends in the field of ophthalmology 47:39
• Give feedback at [email protected] 49:36
• Thanks for listening 49:57

Sean Ianchulev, MD, MPH, is a Harvard-trained physician-scientist, a professor of ophthalmology and the head of innovation and technology at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary founder and chairman of Iantrek Inc and Eyenovia and serves as a board member for the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery Foundation and AEYE Health.

John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, is a faculty member at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and in private practice at Harvard Eye Associates in Laguna Hills, California.

Jim Mazzo sits on numerous ophthalmic industry corporate boards and committees after serving in executive roles with Allergan, Avellino Labs, Carl Zeiss and AMO.

Steven Schwartz, MD, is the Ahmanson professor in ophthalmology and the chief of the retina division at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and the director of the Diabetic Eye Disease and Retinal Vascular Center.

We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow John Hovanesian on Twitter @DrHovanesian. You can reach Dr. Schwartz via email at [email protected]. You can find Dr. Ianchulev on LinkedIn.

Disclosures: Hovanesian consults widely in the ophthalmic field. Mazzo reports being an adviser for Zeiss, Bain Capital, Avellino Labs, CVC Capital, Anivive Lifesciences; executive chairman of Neurotech, Preceyes BV and TearLab; and sits on the board of Crystilex, Lensgen, IanTech, Centricity Vision and Visus. Schwartz is the co-founder of Horizon Surgical; member on the National Eye Institute Audacious Initiative Scientific executive committee and reports receiving grants from Neurotech, Optos/Nikon, the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine; and investigator fees from Neurotech and Optos/Nikon and the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.

In this episode, John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, and Jim Mazzo chat with Cathleen McCabe, MD, about the ASCRS Foundation and role models in ophthalmology; plus, the latest news in eye care.

• Welcome to the Eyeluminaries podcast :05 • Review of episode 25 :46 • Bausch + Lomb acquires Trukera Medical 1:32 • CMS proposes cutting physician payments for fifth straight year 4:09 • FDA clears Alcon's Unity cataract system, Unity vitreoretinal cataract system 7:40 • FDA approves Eylea biosimilar FYB203/Ahzantive 11:07 • Intro of Cathleen McCabe, MD 13:07 • American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) has become an important organization to advocate, educate and organize doctors and their practices. As future president of the organization, what vision do you have for the organization? 15:26 • In reference to your practice, what challenges are you facing and how do you overcome them? 18:59 • Besides the two of us, who do you admire in ophthalmology? 23:37 • Tell us about your work, what you do and how you do it. 27:21 • Preview of episode 27 33:30 • Thanks 34:58

John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, is a faculty member at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and in private practice at Harvard Eye Associates in Laguna Hills, California.

Jim Mazzo is an ophthalmic industry veteran with over 40 years as CEO/chairman of both public and private companies, including Allergan, Avellino Labs, Carl Zeiss, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals and AMO. Additionally, he is an advisor for Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners and sits on numerous industry boards such as MDMA.

Cathleen McCabe, MD, is chief medical officer of Eye Health America and medical director of The Eye Associates in Sarasota, FL.

We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow John Hovanesian on X (formerly Twitter) @DrHovanesian.

Disclosures: Hovanesian consults widely in the ophthalmic field. Mazzo reports being an advisor for Anivive Lifesciences, Avellino Labs, Bain Capital, CVC Capital and Zeiss; executive chairman of Neurotech, Preceyes BV and TearLab; and sits on the board of Crystilex, Centricity Vision, IanTech, Lensgen and Visus. McCabe reports no relevant financial disclosures.

In this episode, John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, and Jim Mazzo are live from the Octane OTF with Euan Thomson, PhD, Barry Kuppermann, MD, Jeffry Weinhuff, Ehsan Sadri, MD, FACS, and a special announcement from Rich Small.

• Welcome to the Eyeluminaries podcast :05
• Review of episode 24 1:38
• Intro of Euan Thomson, PhD 2:10
• What kind of companies did you like working for the most? 3:14
• Can you comment on why adoption of digital solutions is slow and what we can do about it? 4:15
• Geographically speaking, what is the area that is doing the best to incorporate new practices in medicine? 6:04
• Can you talk about any real-world evidence of the value of using digital ophthalmic workflows being realized today? 7:51
• Intro of Barry Kuppermann, MD, PhD 13:06
• Before his passing, you had several years where you worked with one of the most beloved people in ophthalmology, Roger Steinert. What it was like to work with him? Tell us a fun or inspiring story. 15:51
• What are the biggest challenges today in resident/fellow education? What advice would you give graduating residents/fellows? 18:05
• GHEI has a strong research program. Does it get tougher each year to fund quality research? 20:01
• Where do you want to see GHEI in the long-term? 23:55
• Intro of Jeffry Weinhuff 26:02
• Tell us about your career before entering eye care investing. What is different about our unique specialty within healthcare? 26:38
• Tell us about the Visionary Ventures Fund. Is it looking for new physician investors? 30:24
• Announcement from Rich Small 34:12
• What does Neurotech do? 36:56
• Intro of Ehsan Sadri, MD, FACS, FAAO 38:48
• Doctors frequently get asked to make investments in start-up companies. How do you decide if an investment is a good one? 42:13
• What do you think have been the most innovative companies in eye care during your career? 45:09
• Preview of episode 26 49:33

John A. Hovanesian, MD, FACS, is a faculty member at the UCLA Jules Stein Eye Institute and in private practice at Harvard Eye Associates in Laguna Hills, California.

Barry Kuppermann, MD, PhD, is the Roger F. Steinert professor, chair of the department of ophthalmology and director of the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute at the University of California, Irvine. He also holds a joint appointment with the department of biomedical engineering at UC Irvine.

Jim Mazzo is an ophthalmic industry veteran with over 40 years as CEO/chairman of both public and private companies, including Allergan, Avellino Labs, Carl Zeiss, Neurotech Pharmaceuticals and AMO. Additionally, he is an advisor for Bain Capital and CVC Capital Partners and sits on numerous industry boards such as MDMA.

Ehsan Sadri, MD, FACS, FAAO, is board-certified, fellowship-trained in treating LASIK, cataract and glaucoma surgeries with locations to serve patients in Newport Beach, Santa Ana and Orange. He is also CEO and founder of Visionary Eye Institute and general partner and co-founder of Visionary Ventures Fund (Visionaryvc.com).

Rich Small is CEO and member of the board of directors for Neurotech.

Euan Thomson, PhD, is the president of ophthalmic devices and head of digital business unit at Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc.

Jeffry Weinhuff is the chief investment officer and managing partner of Visionary Ventures Fund, a later-stage venture fund focused on investing in drugs and devices for the eye.

We'd love to hear from you! Send your comments/questions to [email protected]. Follow John Hovanesian on X (formerly Twitter) @DrHovanesian.

Disclosures: Hovanesian consults widely in the ophthalmic field. Mazzo reports being an advisor for Anivive Lifesciences, Avellino Labs, Bain Capital, CVC Capital and Zeiss; executive chairman of Neurotech, Preceyes BV and TearLab; and sits on the board of Crystilex, Centricity Vision, IanTech, Lensgen and Visus. Sadri is the CEO and founder of Visionary Eye Institute and general partner and co-founder of Visionary Ventures Fund. Weinhff is the managing partner of Visionary Ventures Fund. Small is chief executive officer and member of the board of directors for Neurotech. Thomson is the president of ophthalmic devices and head of digital business unit at Carl Zeiss Meditec Inc. Weinhuff is the managing partner of Visionary Ventures Fund.