Ophthalmology must work with industry to improve sustainability
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SAN FRANCISCO — Ophthalmologists need to work with industry to reduce the carbon footprint created by medical products, according to a speaker at the American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting.
Emily M. Schehlein, MD, said ophthalmology has a unique opportunity to reduce unnecessary waste and carbon emissions.
“As ophthalmologists, we really have a duty to exchange our ideas with our industry partners to encourage them to reduce waste in their manufacturing and shipping processes and support our industry partners in changing regulations that can prevent sustainable production,” she said.
A 2023 survey conducted by EyeSustain found that industry is interested in streamlining packaging but is often constrained by the perception of regulations, which vary between countries, Schehlein said.
Despite those concerns, industry has taken the lead on several environmental initiatives, including the reduction of waste in phaco packs, the replacement of packaging materials to make them more environmentally friendly and switching from paper to electronic instructions for use (IFUs) in IOL packaging.
IFUs are a major sustainability issue in the industry, according to Schehlein. The paper instructions weigh 64 times as much as the IOL they are packaged with and account for carbon emissions of 3,500 metric tons of CO2 in their production and shipping. A switch to electronic IFUs could result in a 67% reduction in greenhouse gases.
Schehlein said some companies are hesitant to make this change because of regulations in certain countries, but EyeSustain hopes to engage with policymakers in these areas so medical companies can make changes to become more sustainable. The organization hopes to do this by approaching regulators from the bottom and the top.
“From the bottom, we would like to inform ophthalmologists about their countries’ outdated regulations and motivate that grassroots activism,” she said. “From the top, we’ve developed partnerships with eye care societies that have closer access to government leaders who can actually make that change.”
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Schehlein EM. Industry’s and organized medicine’s green engagement. Presented at: American Academy of Ophthalmology meeting; Nov. 3-6, 2023; San Francisco.
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