Post by A. John Kanellopoulos, MD

Three Decades of Innovation from a Greek Ophthalmologist — and a Call for Structured Scientific Engagement in Greece In 2000, we reported one of the earliest sub-2mm laser cataract procedures (Dodick photolysis era), when “microincision” surgery was still considered radical. In the early 2000s, we were among the first in Europe to clinically implement topography-guided refractive treatments, presenting outcomes internationally while customized ablation remained controversial. Soon after, we adopted corneal cross-linking outside the original Dresden/Zurich nucleus, contributing early peer-reviewed data on keratoconus and post-LASIK ectasia. We developed and documented the Athens Protocol — simultaneous topography-guided PRK combined with CXL — with long-term follow-up exceeding a decade. We also reported late post-CXL flattening progression patterns. Because science demands transparency. We published comparative work on topography-guided LASIK versus SMILE, introduced Topography-Modified Refraction (TMR), and implemented automated ray-tracing optimization as soon as it became clinically deployable in Europe. In October 2025, at the American Academy of Ophthalmology Annual Meeting, we presented Ray Tracing LASIK vs SMILE Pro — highlighted in the Academy’s official press release. That matters. It means the data were globally relevant. It means the findings entered international clinical dialogue. ⸻ Let me be clear. Every single day I feel the warmth and intellectual curiosity of Greek ophthalmologists — in clinics, meetings, phone calls, conferences. My colleagues have always shown engagement and professional generosity. This post is not about them. It concerns the absence of structured scientific engagement within the framework of Greece’s two principal professional societies: Ελληνική Εταιρεία Ενδοφακών και Διαθλαστικής Χειρουργικής Ελληνική Οφθαλμολογική Εταιρεία Across three decades of documented innovation, there has been no visible culture of systematic scientific review panels or structured society-level debate around these datasets. Scientific criticism means publishing counter-data. Scientific leadership means creating platforms for evaluation. Non-engagement leaves a gap. This is not about past recognition. It is about the future. Imagine a 35-year-old Greek ophthalmologist — talented, innovative, transparent about complications. What institutional pathway will support that instinct? International societies engage. Journals engage. Conferences engage. Greece must ensure its professional societies engage as well — because innovation should not require international validation before domestic scientific dialogue begins. I remain proud to be a Greek ophthalmologist. Structured academic engagement is not a privilege. It is a responsibility. #HSIORS #Ελληνικήοφθαλμολογικήεταιρεία #ESCRS #ASCRS #AAO