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Singapore, 14 November 2024 – The Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) and Carl Zeiss Meditec AG, one of the world's leading medical technology companies, have entered into a strategic partnership to advance surgical outcomes in refractive and cataract surgeries. The collaboration, titled OPhthalmic Tech Innovation by ZEISS and SERI (OPTIZS), brings together cutting-edge expertise at a combined funding of nearly SG$20 million supported under Singapore's Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 Plan (RIE 2025). This initiative will support several research projects over the next three years with a focus on enhancing clinical outcomes and driving innovation in ophthalmic surgery.
Cataract and refractive surgeries are the most common ophthalmic surgical procedures worldwide, and demand for such surgeries is expected to increase with an ageing population and evolving lifestyle factors. However, in some cases post-operative patients can experience prolonged dry eyes, and corneal edema (where the clear layer that covers the pupil and iris loses transparency and there is swelling of the cornea).
ZEISS and SERI will work jointly to develop more personalised solutions and to enhance processes before and during surgery, so that patients can enjoy faster visual rehabilitation and better long-term stability after their surgeries. Researchers have identified opportunities for improving diagnostics and precision to further optimise cataract surgery results and provide more consistent results. The partnership will also work on providing new options for treating presbyopia and improving outcomes for patients with myopia and presbyopia, with the aim of developing more advanced procedures, with improved short-term and long-term results.
SERI has enjoyed a long-standing and fruitful collaboration with ZEISS dating back to 2008 when SERI was awarded its first Translational Clinical Research (TCR) grant from the National Medical Research Council for the Translational Research Innovations in Ocular Surgery (TRIOS) programme. Over the years, this partnership has deepened, with SERI and ZEISS working closely across research, education and clinical training. These efforts have played a pivotal role in nurturing local talent and fostering collaboration between academic and industry stakeholders at SERI and the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC). ZEISS was also integral to the success of the second TCR grant in 2014, which focused on advancing innovations in lenticule implantation, a key area of ophthalmic research. Building on these achievements, SERI and ZEISS laid out future developments in three main areas: 1) advancing training and education, 2) joint research and development, and 3) clinical initiatives aimed at improving vision and patient satisfaction for both younger and ageing population.
This partnership reflects the shared vision of SERI and ZEISS to leverage world-class research and development to modernise and reshape the ophthalmic market, elevate the standard of care in ophthalmology, and ultimately enhance the quality of life for patients worldwide.
"SERI is excited to continue the long-lasting SERI-ZEISS collaboration with the new OPTIZS programme. ZEISS has been one of our most engaged industry partners through the years and have been instrumental to the research and clinical work that we do at SERI and SNEC," said Professor Jodhbir Mehta, Executive Director at SERI, and Programme Lead for OPTIZS. "We look forward to the next three years as we embark on this exciting journey to develop novel surgical and diagnostic solutions. We hope that these culminate in better visual outcomes for our patients not only in the short term but in the long term too, and thereby, a better quality of life."
"ZEISS has long been a pioneer of science in optics and ophthalmic innovation. It's in our DNA," said Dr Markus Weber, President and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG. "At ZEISS, we understand that collaborating with global partners like SERI can accelerate discoveries and advancements in healthcare, enhancing diagnostic and surgical procedures to best support doctors in their pursuit of improved quality of life for their patients. We look forward to continuing our partnership, working together in the years ahead to modernise and personalise patient care for the future."
"As we focus on shaping the future of ophthalmology and improving vision care in Southeast Asia, collaborating with partners like the highly regarded Singapore Eye Research Institute is great news for practitioners and patients throughout Singapore and beyond," says Ven Raman, Managing Director for ZEISS Southeast Asia. "Our teams are excited to embark on this multi-year strategic partnership with SERI to enhance vision care and the quality of life of the region's youth and ageing populations."
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