53 EyeWorld Asia-Pacific | September 2024 NEWS & OPINION by Lee Mun Wai, MD Sustainability In The Asia-Pacific “Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need BUT not every man’s greed” — Mohandas K. Gandhi The human species is racing against time in an attempt to save itself from its own indiscretions. The term “sustainability” has become a quality that many professionals have become familiar with, over the recent years. Climate change represents a major threat to global health in the 21st century1, with human activities being the main driver of climate change. Health care services contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and it has been estimated that health care emissions contribute up to 5% of global net emissions2. As such, eye care as a high volume service (largely due to cataract surgery) would therefore contribute substantially to these emissions. The Asia Pacific is home to 60% of the world’s population – some 4.3 billion people3. Mitigating the environmental impact of health care in this region poses a significant challenge, especially with the diversity of culture and health care practices, as well as the varied and often limited resources within specific territories of practice. Environmental Impact of Cataract Surgery The term ‘carbon footprint’ refers to the gaseous emissions resulting from the full life cycle of a product or process4 and is measured in carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2-eq). This is used as an indicator of environmental impact and the carbon footprint of cataract surgery can vary from 180kg CO2-eq in the United Kingdom4 compared with 6kg CO2-eq in India5. Despite the hugely contrasting footprints, the vast population of the Asia Pacific region would mean that ophthalmologists still have a role to play in developing more sustainable practices.
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