ASCRS News: ASCRS Foundation Update
Summer 2024
This year’s Operation Sight Volunteer of the Year is Andrew Kao, MD. Dr. Kao was recognized during the 2024 ASCRS Annual Meeting in April. In addition to being involved with Operation Sight, Dr. Kao is part of a nonprofit in Bakersfield, California, called Advanced Center for Eyecare (ACE), whose mission is to serve the underserved and underinsured.
“I’m from Bakersfield, which is where I practice. I know the area well, and what drives me to volunteer is knowing that there are so many people in our community in need,” he said, adding that he sees patients in clinic everyday who don’t have healthcare, don’t have glasses, and might not know they have cataracts. “When we see these people in our clinic, it just drives me to help them,” he said.
Dr. Kao said that when he joined Daniel Chang, MD, in practice, Dr. Chang told him about ACE, which Dr. Chang and his brother founded in 2010. “They founded it as a nonprofit eye clinic so that they could give back to the community and see patients who have Medi- Cal, Medicaid for health insurance and also to serve those patients who don’t have insurance,” Dr. Kao said, adding that the ACE motto is, “High-quality healthcare for all.” Dr. Kao was able to do almost 500 cataract surgeries alone in his first year of practice, and a lot of those were through ACE.
In addition to seeing patients at ACE, Dr. Kao got involved in Operation Sight in 2021. “I had signed up to be a volunteer previously but hadn’t had any patients assigned to me,” Dr. Kao said. “Our CEO at the time found out about the grants, so he applied for one, it was awarded to us, and we were able to help many patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Dr. Kao said he always wanted to do humanitarian work. In medical school, he found the idea of going abroad enticing, but the opportunity never came up. “But I think there’s a lot of need in our own backyards,” he said. “Part of that goes back to [the fact that] a lot of these patients are marginalized, almost invisible in our community. We don’t think about some of these people, and they are some of the most in need.” Just this spring, Dr. Kao saw a patient on Medi-Cal who had white cataracts in both eyes.
Source: ASCRS
For Dr. Kao, being recognized as the 2024 Operation Sight Volunteer of the Year was meaningful because he is looking for any platform to spotlight these patients. He added that his area is a huge exporter of agriculture products, and many of his patients are farm workers who are underinsured or uninsured. If they can’t work, they can’t provide for their families, and many of these patients live under the poverty line, he said. “For us to be able to provide a program like Operation Sight to help these patients and help our local economy, being able to spotlight these patients is what’s meaningful to me.”
Dr. Kao said he thinks Operation Sight is a great, centralized program where it’s easy to apply, and they help with the logistical issues.
“I think we all have that desire to help people. I think that’s why most of us went into medicine,” Dr. Kao said. “Operation Sight provides the way for us to do that easily. Operation Sight does a lot of legwork that might be a barrier to volunteering.” They find the patients and match them with the surgeons, so the surgeons can use their expertise to do the actual cataract surgery.
For those surgeons looking to get involved with Operation Sight, Dr. Kao said to “just get started.” Go to the website and learn more about the program. It’s easy to sign up as a volunteer and talk to the Operation Sight Program Manager. They make it easy for us to volunteer as surgeons, he said.
Dr. Kao will continue his involvement in Operation Sight and humanitarian eyecare as he takes on a new role as Operation Sight’s Medical Liaison. As Medical Liaison, Dr. Kao will share ideas, collaborate with other surgeons, and help spread the word to physicians and the industry about its value.
Article Sidebar
The top 3 things to know about Operation Sight
June is Cataract Awareness Month, and the ASCRS Foundation’s charitable cataract surgery program, Operation Sight, helps to provide cataract surgery domestically for those in need. Here are the top 3 things the Foundation wants you to know.
- Local impact: You can make a difference right in your own backyard. With Operation Sight, there’s no need to travel across the world to volunteer and give back. Your expertise can change lives right where you live.
- Patient facilitation: We make it easy for you! Operation Sight handles the logistics and connects you with patients in need. Say goodbye to the hassle of tracking down patients—we’ll send them to you.
- Targeted need: Certain states are experiencing an increased demand for eyecare services. If you live or work in Nevada, Ohio, Colorado, Texas, Florida, Tennessee, North Carolina, New Mexico, or Kansas, consider signing up to be an Operation Sight volunteer. Your support can make a significant impact in these communities.
Ready to make a difference? Visit our website to learn more about volunteering, or donate today to support Operation Sight and help us provide life-changing eyecare to those in need. You can also reach out to Operation Sight Program Manager Sarah Duval, COE, COA, at sduval@ascrs.org. Together, we can restore sight and transform lives.
About the physician
Andrew Kao, MD
Empire Eye and Laser Center
Bakersfield, California
Contact
Kao: akao@acecares.org
