EuroEyes International Wins Zeiss Award for Tenth Consecutive Year

According to the South China Morning Post, EuroEyes International has been recognized for its pioneering efforts by winning the prestigious Zeiss Award for the tenth consecutive year. This recognition highlights the company's work, specifically noting that it has performed the greatest number of trifocal lens implantations across clinics worldwide.

The group's team of laser eye surgeons has completed hundreds of thousands of procedures, building a reputation for providing fast and effective high-end care. This reputation has facilitated its international expansion and allowed the company to offer life-changing treatment to individuals in less privileged nations and communities through charitable efforts.

Furthermore, the South China Morning Post suggests that the success of EuroEyes' business model can be seen as an acknowledgment of its steady growth, which has been achieved through strategic acquisitions, an early establishment in the Chinese market, an entrepreneurial approach, and a consistent commitment to the highest standards.

The network of laser eye centers or clinics maintained by the group now includes locations in Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, following a recent acquisition of the world's second-largest entity in the field. To support further domestic and regional growth, EuroEyes International finalized a successful initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong in 2019 (stock code 1846.hk).

Dr. Jørn Slot Jørgensen, who serves as the founder, chief executive, and medical director of EuroEyes, stated that growth in China has been fueled by increasing disposable incomes and the large population dealing with myopia or presbyopia. Dr. Jørgensen, a trained ophthalmologist, has spent an average of 10 days monthly in China over the last decade, excluding the Covid-19 period. He noted that while overall consumer confidence might be slightly reduced currently, individuals in higher income brackets remain willing and able to invest in their long-term health and well-being.

Dr. Jørgensen, who is of Danish origin, continues to perform over 1,000 individual operations annually, which contrasts with the stereotype that physicians lack business interest. His early career involved outpatient work in Hamburg, treating conditions like cataracts, which led to his adoption of laser surgery, a technique that proved fast, safe, and eliminated the need for hospital stays that previously lasted six or seven days.

Dr. Jørgensen mentioned that after observing the lack of this procedure elsewhere, he traveled to Berlin and Munich to find partners in Copenhagen. He further explained that when many people in China began finding them online and traveling to Germany for treatment, opening a first clinic in Shanghai became a logical step.

Regarding the Chinese market, Dr. Jørgensen indicated that approximately 90 percent of Chinese people are myopic, a condition that can be corrected, which contributes to Lasik (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis) becoming one of the most performed treatments globally.

He also anticipates that the need for solutions for presbyopia is likely to increase as life expectancy rises and people dedicate more attention to personal upkeep. He explained that the fundamental issue in presbyopia is the optic in the lens no longer functioning as before, necessitating reading glasses.

However, technological advancements now permit computer-based measurements, precise patient feedback, and the development of fully customized solutions. Future developments are expected to involve increased use of AI, particularly for preliminary retinal checks for diabetic patients, and the application of OCT (optical coherence tomography), a non-invasive imaging method that uses light waves to capture cross-sections of the retina and optic nerve.

Dr. Jørgensen concluded by stating that as a surgeon, he always welcomes improvements, noting that once methods and techniques are mastered, they become easy and enjoyable, comparing his current operations to playing the piano.