WIO 2026: Small ergonomic habits protect surgeons long-term

Amy Zhang, MD, associate clinical professor in the glaucoma service at the Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, spoke with Ophthalmology Times about the ergonomic habits that protect surgeons' physical health over the course of a career, ahead of the Women in Ophthalmology (WIO) 2026 Summer Symposium.

Zhang said the single biggest difference surgeons can make in the operating room is deceptively simple: "The biggest difference is taking that extra 30 seconds to make sure that you're comfortable." Because most surgeons' body proportions and OR presets—chair height, pedal placement, bed height—stay fairly constant from case to case, she said the habit is less about finding a new setup each time and more about consistently taking the time to use it. Left unaddressed, she said, poor positioning compounds.

When do ergonomic habits start to matter?

Most ergonomics literature in ophthalmology focuses on surgeons later in their careers, but Zhang said a survey her group conducted found discomfort—including "early strain in their back"—showing up much earlier, in residents and even medical students observing in the OR. She noted the literature has not yet established when pain onset typically begins, saying it "actually happens faster, or earlier, because of the confines of what we have to do."

Equipment design and body habitus

Zhang also addressed the role of equipment and microscope manufacturers, saying companies "should invest in technologies that improve the ergonomics, or that have some flexibility, so that people of different body habitus are comfortable." She pointed out that ophthalmology's traditionally delicate instruments are less likely to disadvantage surgeons with smaller hands than equipment in other surgical specialties, where she said larger tools "can't really grip it because of how small their hands are." She cited heads-up displays as one example of equipment innovation worth encouraging industry-wide.

Zhang recommended surgeons record or photograph themselves operating to identify posture issues, and noted that because most ophthalmic surgery is performed seated, core-strengthening exercises and lumbar support can help offset the added strain that sitting places on the lower spine.