The ophthalmology odyssey is a story of discovery and great achievement, especially with the advent of modern technological advancements and progress in surgical techniques and treatment of blinding disease. In the 1960s, phacoemulsification was pioneered by visionary ophthalmologist Dr Charles Kelman as a novel technique for performing cataract surgery1. Recently, ophthalmic innovations such as optical coherence tomography (OCT)² have been a boon in enabling eyecare professionals to diagnose ocular pathology, while intravitreal anti-VEGF medications, introduced in 2002 for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), have revolutionised retinal disease management3. Nanotechnology, bionic retinal implants, gene therapy and stem cell treatments are other contemporary developments in this visual-sciences journey, each introduced with varying levels of success.
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