Sometimes, Simple Is Best

At the turn of a decade, it’s natural to wonder what progress will be made in science and medicine over the next 10 years – especially in a field like ophthalmology. Consider the countless strides made forward over the last few years alone – from the first FDA-approved autonomous AI device (IDx- DR) to the first US regulatory approval of a gene therapy to treat a retinal disease (Luxturna). Where will we be in 2030?

At The Ophthalmologist, we pride ourselves on exploring the likely impact of cutting-edge technologies; in this issue alone, we cover the use of an organ-to-cloud platform for glaucoma management and provide an update on the RPE patch for macular degeneration. But, as Keith Martin remarked in our February issue, “In a world where cataract still remains the leading cause of blindness, it is worth remembering that it is not what we can do – it is what we actually do that matters“ (1).

Tech-driven advances will always (and often deservedly) get a fair share of the limelight, but we must also celebrate the simpler, perhaps less glamorous solutions that save sight in patient populations across the globe – for they are no less impressive.

Having recently read Lucy Mathen’s book “Outgrowing the Big,” I found myself once again marveling at the striking simplicity of the Arclight. Designed with the desperate needs of developing countries in mind, the result is something so uncomplicated – and cheap – that it’s hard to comprehend the full scale of its impact. And yet, armed with the Arclight and other essential technologies, Mathen and her team at SecondSight are able to work towards their goal of eradicating blindness in Bihar, India – one of the most poverty-stricken areas of the world. Here, simple (and cheap) works best.

But this focus on simplicity is also vital for new technologies. As the author of our cover feature, Ariel Cao, told us: “Simplicity is what makes our system beautiful – and, hopefully, what will also make it transformational.”

As organizations like the IAPB continue to work towards slashing preventable blindness worldwide, we must acknowledge that investing sufficient time, effort and resources into proper implementation of these simple solutions is crucial to progress in ophthalmology.