A vision for the world

Back in 2002,Max Reindl, founder and chief executive officer of Wavelight AG and his colleague, Susanne Grethlein, vice president marketing and investor relations founded the sponsoring association Vision for the World (VFTW). Its aim was, and still is, to give something back to the ophthalmic community from businesses that serve it.

"At ECWA I learnt basic history and examination of ophthalmic patients. I also learnt from weekly hospital presentations reviewing journals. I was taught simple cataract surgery and other minor surgeries like chalazion I&C, pterygyium excision and lid rotation. I personally completed 21 cataract surgeries before leaving for my Community Eye Health posting at National Eye Centre Kaduna and am doing fine."

Phase three, which currently under preparation, will see the start-up team getting initial experience using the phacoemulsifaction unit themselves. VFTW will then send out a partner doctor to provide refresher courses and regular training sessions. The aim is for this to be at the end of this year or the beginning of 2011.

The fourth and final phase will be when the start-up team have enough experience and can begin training their colleagues and incoming students in the future.

"Incentives must be created for the outstandingly trained doctors to apply their acquired professional knowledge in their home country for the benefit of the patients", says Max Reindl.