ASCRS News: EyeSustain Update
Summer 2025
by Barbara Erny, MD
EyeSustain Advisory Board
As our commitment to sustainability in eyecare grows, the importance of educating the next generation of physicians is paramount. It is vital that our medical students, residents, and fellows are trained on best practices for waste reduction in our field. With this evolving education toolbox, they will move forward in their careers with the mindset that waste reduction is the rule, not the exception. In this issue’s EyeSustain Update column, Barbara Erny, MD, outlines the ongoing efforts to educate trainees in ophthalmology, with commentary from Cynthia Beauchamp, MD, on the ABO’s collaboration with EyeSustain.
Emily Schehlein, MD
EyeSustain Update Guest Editor
Building an educational foundation
EyeSustain has developed a robust digital platform to disseminate knowledge on sustainable practices. The website features comprehensive educational resources, and regular social media updates highlight emerging research and innovations. Students and early-career ophthalmologists contribute by summarizing new studies and providing access to original research papers.
The organization recognizes that educating the next generation of practitioners is critical for long-term success. With 65% of U.S. medical schools now including climate and health education in pre-clinical curricula, EyeSustain focuses on extending this knowledge into postgraduate training, where theoretical understanding can transform into clinical application.
Integrating sustainability into professional standards
Significant progress has been made in incorporating sustainability into formal ophthalmology education. The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) Basic and Clinical Science Course (BCSC) now features a dedicated chapter on sustainable operating room practices in its “Basic Principles of Ophthalmic Surgery” book. This material covers the carbon footprint of cataract surgery, common barriers to implementing eco-friendly practices, and the crucial role of surgeons in advancing sustainability.
Further integration appears in the BCSC discussion of health equity, which addresses how pollution levels, housing conditions, and access to clean water—all factors affected by healthcare practices—impact patient outcomes. The manufacturing processes, sterilization techniques, and waste management in ophthalmology all contribute to environmental challenges that ultimately affect public health.
Professional accountability is being strengthened through collaboration with the American Board of Ophthalmology (see sidebar). Additionally, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) plans to incorporate sustainability into the core competencies for ophthalmology residency education.
Addressing knowledge gaps
As sustainability in healthcare is a relatively new focus, most professors lack specific training and knowledge in this area. EyeSustain is developing targeted educational materials for academic faculty and trainees to address this gap. Students and physicians from EyeSustain have already made progress through collaborative efforts with Climate Resources for Health Education (climatehealthed.org), contributing case studies and educational resources on pollution’s impact on eye health and the intersection of ophthalmology with health disparities.
Setting a precedent for other medical specialties
EyeSustain’s comprehensive approach serves as a model for other medical disciplines developing their own sustainability initiatives. The organization’s leadership, myself included, has presented our development methodology to prestigious institutions, including the National Academy of Medicine, the Global Consortium on Climate and Health Education, and The Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health. Specialties like dermatology and infectious disease have taken note, seeking formal guidance from EyeSustain’s experience.
Through these efforts, ophthalmology is not only advancing environmental responsibility within its own specialty but providing a blueprint for sustainable healthcare practices across medicine. The cultural shift toward high-value, sustainable eyecare that EyeSustain champions through education promises benefits for clinical practices, patient outcomes, and planetary health in the years ahead.
Article Sidebar
ABO sustainability
by Cynthia Beauchamp, MD
ABO Liaison to EyeSustain
In 2021, the World Health Organization declared climate change to be the single largest health threat facing humanity. The American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) has a role in addressing the threat, and that commitment starts in education. The ABO is part of EyeSustain’s global coalition, which is committed to promoting the sustainability of eyecare. While the ABO’s mission is to certify ophthalmologists, our guiding principles are consistent with supporting sustainability. These guiding principles include promoting and recognizing aspirational goals, promoting excellence through continuous improvement, and collaborating whenever possible with professional societies that strive to advance excellence, such as EyeSustain.
To promote the reduction in waste, the ABO has taken several steps. The administration of the oral boards has become greener; it will be administered in a blended fashion with candidates remote and examiners either remote or in person. Also, the ABO will be featuring a section in sustainability in ophthalmology in our Quarterly Questions, as part of continuing certification. Articles will highlight the importance of reduction of waste in the office and in the operating room and supporting the surgical manufacturing industry to develop greener options. We will examine ways to safely promote sustainability and to be good stewards of the planet while staying true to infection precaution.
Contact
Beauchamp: clbeauchamp@yahoo.com
Contact
Erny: barbaraernymd@gmail.com
