Ophthalmology becomes sustainable

Sustainability

Today's modern medicine generates large amounts of waste, caused by elaborate packaging and disposable products.

While conservative ophthalmology consumes rather few consumables such as disposable tonometer heads, staining strips or drop bottles compared to other specialties, huge amounts of waste are generated in ophthalmic surgery, especially in Western countries.

Increasing regulations and hygiene requirements as well as the trend to use smaller and smaller access points into the eye by using smaller and smaller instruments make the reuse of instruments almost impossible, as some of them can no longer be sterilized.

In addition, even a modern sterilizer generates large amounts of waste in the form of packaging and consumables.

Novel materials and manufacturing techniques can provide solutions here to create closed recycling loops and significantly reduce the waste generated in cataract surgery in particular.

We are also doing research on this topic and are interested in collaborations on new developments and their clinical evaluation.