In this installment of our 2025 Power List Perspectives series, Farhad Hafezi, Chief Medical Officer of the ELZA Institute in Zurich, considers how AI is improving both diagnostics and patient care, and looks back on his successful professional choices that many deemed “career suicide.”
What major industry/global trends are catching your attention right now?
Several key trends are shaping the future of ophthalmology:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML): AI-driven systems are redefining diagnostics, screening, and treatment planning in ophthalmology.
Telemedicine & Digital Health: The rise of remote consultations, AI-assisted triaging, and digital monitoring tools is transforming patient access to care.
Personalized Ophthalmology: We need more normative datasets for different populations. Today, our diagnostic standards often rely on datasets from populations with different genetic backgrounds, which introduces potential inaccuracies in disease detection and treatment response.
Sustainability & Greener Surgical Practices: There is a growing push for eco-friendly solutions to reduce the environmental footprint of ophthalmic procedures.
These trends are not just shaping the field – they are setting new standards for precision medicine, accessibility, and sustainability.
In what ways do you think artificial intelligence and machine learning will impact ophthalmic innovation?
AI and ML are already enhancing diagnostics, big data analysis, and device optimization, but their true impact extends far beyond these applications. The real challenge in modern ophthalmology is handling a steadily aging and growing population with increasingly limited human medical resources.
Beyond Diagnostics: AI is not just about analyzing retinal scans – it is also about automating patient education, therapy, and follow-ups.
Body-Machine Interfaces: AI-driven interfaces are evolving to assist surgeons, technicians, and even patients in their decision-making processes.
Avatars & Virtual Patient Education: In China, AI-driven avatars are being used to educate patients preoperatively, explaining procedures, expected outcomes and risks in a structured and engaging manner.
The real power of AI is in augmenting both diagnostics and patient care, reducing the burden on overworked healthcare providers while improving outcomes and efficiency in ophthalmology.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
My career path has been anything but conventional. I made choices that many deemed “career suicide,” such as:
Transitioning from a decade of successful retinal research – publishing in Nature Medicine and Nature Genetics – to cornea, starting anew as a novice.
Moving from the public to the private sector, then back to public as Chairman of the University Eye Clinic in Geneva, Switzerland, to return to a hybrid of private practice and own-funded research.
In hindsight, these decisions were the best I ever made. Yet, during those transitions, the uncertainty was often overwhelming.
Looking back, I wish I had then what I possess now: the unwavering certainty that every problem has a solution and that when one door closes, another always opens.
And finally:
Do not fear changing fields if necessary. Scientific progress often requires stepping outside of traditional career paths and embracing completely new directions.
Hard work beats talent when talent does not work hard. Put in more hours than anyone else – your results will reflect your effort.
Risk-taking is essential. Some of the greatest breakthroughs come from challenging conventional wisdom.
Success comes from resilience. The setbacks you encounter will only serve to refine your vision and strengthen your resolve.
The combination of boldness, persistence, and relentless curiosity is the key to making a meaningful impact in ophthalmology… or any field.
