Eyeluminaries podcast explores those who have changed ophthalmology
Eyeluminaries n
1. People who have changed eye care.
2. A new podcast by Jim and John.
One of the people I admire most in eye care is Jim Mazzo. A former CEO of four major eye care companies, including his role as the founding president of Advanced Medical Optics (now known as Johnson & Johnson Vision) and later Zeiss, Jim is one of our industry’s most respected veterans, and I just love to hear his perspectives on what’s changing in our field. He usually tells me two or three things I would not have considered as a practitioner. He’s insightful, funny and straight talking. Moreover, Jim is extremely interested in knowing what I have to say about new developments as a physician who has lived through enough of ophthalmic history to have an opinion but who is also open to new and sometimes controversial innovations.
Not surprisingly, our field gives us plenty of subjects and people to talk about, so Jim and I decided to launch a podcast so others could listen in. Fortunately, it won’t be just Jim and me talking. With each episode, we invite one of the most interesting people we know — and together we know some very interesting people — Eyeluminaries who are changing or have changed our field.
Our first episode featured David Parke II, now retired CEO of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, who is leading a company mining the data in the IRIS Registry. We spoke in Episode 2 to Nicole Fram about drops for presbyopia as well as what it’s like to follow in the large footsteps of Sam Masket. Episode 3 featured Eric Rosenberg, founder of the Digital Ophthalmic Society, about how that group will shape the future. And retina giant Steven Schwartz spoke in Episode 4 about how we should think about the explosion of drugs — and costs — coming to treat retinal disease. One of my very favorite people, Eve Higginbotham, was featured in Episode 5, talking about diversity and eye care and how our future looks different from our past. We just wrapped Episode 6 with Allison Shuren, the law partner at Arnold Porter who leads its health care practice, about how doctors and companies can get in and out of trouble. Spoiler alert: The first part is easier than you think! And we have some really fun upcoming episodes, including an interview with four members of the Schallhorn family, three of whom are ophthalmologists and one who is a rising industry star. I call them eye care’s own von Trapps (although I don’t think they can sing). And David Chang has promised to come on to tell us about his latest passion: saving the planet. If anybody can do it, I believe it would be Dave.
So, if you’ve read this far, I do hope you’ll at least consider tuning in to hear Jim and I interview these fine folks. Oh, and I may also drop some snide remarks about Jim’s large nose.
The Eyeluminaries podcast can be found at https://www.healio.com/news/ophthalmology/resources/eyeluminaries/2022-episodes or wherever you get your podcasts.
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