OIS Podcast | Ophthalmology's leading Podcast

Grace Ambrose-Zaken, Ph.D., president and CEO of Safe Toddles, speaks with host Robert Rothman about her mission to create a safer, easier-to-navigate world for children—perhaps one of the most underserved patients in eye care. Dr. Ambrose-Zaken discusses her breakthrough invention, the Pediatric Belt Cane, and how it transformed early mobility for blind children. 

In this episode of the OIS podcast, learn about:  

• Why we need t...

What are the key qualities to being effective teammates? David Esposito, President and CEO of ONL Therapeutics, and Connie Chang, Chief Operating Officer of ONL Therapeutics, chat with host James Murray on the importance and value of transparency, trustworthiness, vulnerability, and candor amongst leadership to establish a strong company foundation.
In this episode of the OIS podcast, learn about:

• Handling the little problem...

At this year’s Retina Innovation Summit, industry experts and leaders gathered in a two-part discussion on investment trends, regulatory environment and FDA changes, emerging therapies in ophthalmology, and more. Panelists include: Laura Feinleib, Managing Director at Redmile Group; Derrick Li, Chief Strategy Officer at ODC Life Sciences; Cameron Taylor, Managing Director at BofA Securities | Life Sciences; Wayne Caulder, Vice Pres...

Join Dr. Robert Rothman as he talks with Rajan Shukla about his journey from a family legacy in ophthalmology to pioneering new treatments for anterior segment diseases. Rajan shares how Vital Tears is making serum tears accessible nationwide and how Bright Star Therapeutics is developing innovative therapies like BrightMEM™ to transform ocular surface care.
In this episode, learn about:

• The story behind Vital Tears and Brig...

This week on The Rob & Jai Show, an edition of the OIS Podcast, Dr. Rob Rothman and Dr. Jai Parekh welcome Tomas Navratil, PhD, Chief Development Officer at Glaukos, to discuss the company’s remarkable transformation from MIGS pioneer to a diversified global leader in ophthalmology. Glaukos is advancing a robust pipeline that spans devices, pharmaceuticals, and drug-device combinations—reshaping the future of eye care.

Highlight...

This week on The Rob & Jai Show, an edition of the OIS Podcast, Rob Rothman and Jai Parekh welcome Shawn O'Neil, President and Chief Commercial Officer of ViaLase, to discuss a cutting-edge advancement in glaucoma treatment. Velas is pioneering the FLIGHT procedure—Femtosecond Laser Image-Guided High-Precision Trabeculotomy—a non-invasive, incision-free alternative to traditional surgery. Highlights from the episode includ...

This week on The Rob & Jai Show, an edition of the OIS Podcast, Perry Sternberg, CEO of Sydnexis, discusses the company's efforts to bring its innovative SYD-101 product to market, which aims to slow the progression of pediatric myopia.

• Challenges in Market Access: Sternberg emphasizes the challenges of market access and reimbursement, explaining that it's not just about the product’s price but also the value propo...

In this edition of The Rob & Jai Show, the OIS Podcast welcomes Adam Szaronos, CEO of IanTrek, for a wide-ranging conversation on innovation, leadership, and unlocking new pathways in glaucoma care. Adam walks us through his career journey from Alcon to TearLab to leading IanTrek, where he’s now championing a new class of glaucoma procedures with AloeFlow™—a minimally invasive, tissue-based implant that activates the uveosclera...

In this edition of The Rob & Jai Show, Paul Smith, President & COO of Orasis Pharmaceuticals, joins Dr. Rob Rothman and Dr. Jai Parekh for a compelling conversation on his career path and the commercialization of Qlosi™—a novel, FDA-approved, low-dose pilocarpine eye drop for the treatment of presbyopia.

With more than two decades of experience across Alcon, Novartis, and now Orasis, Smith reflects on his unique career traje...

In this edition of the OIS Podcast, a powerhouse panel of investment, banking, and biotech leaders offers unfiltered insights on the current and future state of the ophthalmic industry. Featuring Andrew Gitkin (Leerink Partners), Cameron Taylor (Bank of America), Susan Orr, PhD (Claris Bio), and Anupam Dalal, MD (Acuta Capital), and Dr. Pravin Dugel, Chairman and CEO of Ocular Therapeutix, this session explores how macroeconomic an...

In this episode of The Rob & Jai Show, Michael O’Rourke, CEO of Re-Vana Therapeutics, joins Dr. Rob Rothman and Dr. Jai Parekh to explore the next-generation of sustained drug delivery in ophthalmology. With millions of intravitreal injections administered annually for retinal diseases like AMD, the need for longer-lasting, more effective treatments has never been greater.

O’Rourke explains how Re-Vana’s proprietary hydrogel-bas...

In this episode of The Rob & Jai Show, Dr. Rob Rothman and Dr. Jai Parekh host a captivating conversation with Andrew Stewart and Anthony Wallace—two leaders who are among the most experienced and admired executives in ophthalmology. Andrew Stewart, with over 25 years of pharmaceutical leadership across Bausch + Lomb, AbbVie, and Allergan, shares how his global business acumen shapes innovation in eye care. Anthony Wallace, a 2...

In this OIS Podcast episode, host Dr. Robert Rothman sits down with Daphne Haim-Langford, PhD, Founder & CEO of Tarsier Pharma, and Ashley Kline, Chief Commercial Officer, to discuss their groundbreaking approach to uveitis treatment.

Tarsier’s lead candidate, TRS01, is a first-in-class bio-inspired therapy designed to control inflammation without raising intraocular pressure, a major complication of steroid treatments. With a u...

In this episode of Eye on Innovation, host Carey Powers introduces the Next-Gen Innovators series with special guest Dr. Vikram Shankar, an ophthalmologist at Stanford and co-founder of Dropmate. Dr. Shankar discusses how his passion for public health and patient care inspired the creation of Dropmate—a compact, affordable, and eco-friendly disinfection system for clinical eye care equipment. Learn how this technology addresses pat...

In this episode of The Rob and Jai Show, Dave LeCause, a renowned biopharmaceutical leader and former VP of Allergan Eye Care, reflects on his remarkable career in ophthalmology. Join us as Dave discusses his journey from leading commercial strategies for billion-dollar brands to mentoring the next generation of innovators. Hear his thoughts on innovation cycles, the evolving landscape of dry eye treatments, and why gene and cell t...

In this double-feature episode of the OIS Eye on Innovation Podcast, Carey Powers highlights the invaluable resources and expertise within the OIS community, showcasing the power of cross-collaboration and strategic foresight in biotech.

Part 1:
Dr. Francis Lasowski (C20/20 Innovation Hub) and Dr. Wendy Naimark (Ripple Therapeutics) discuss their long-standing partnership, which has propelled Ripple's success through groun...

In this episode of The Rob and Jai Show from OIS XIV, hosts Dr. Rob Rothman and Dr. Jai Parekh talk with Eric Schlumpf, CEO of Stuart Therapeutics, about the company’s transformative approach to ophthalmic diseases. Learn how Stuart's innovative polypeptide technology repairs damaged collagen, advancing from dry eye to neuroprotection in glaucoma and beyond. Eric highlights key milestones, including promising clinical trial re...

Carey Powers caught up with five innovative companies at this years OIS XIV in San Diego, to discuss the latest advancements in ophthalmology on the OIS podcast.

Topics included touchless laser therapy for presbyopia, extending the duration of intravitreal treatments, next-generation tear fluid testing, and new imaging methodologies for vitreoretinal conditions. Guests include:

• Alex Lopez, Chief Commercial Officer - Ace Vision Gr...

In this episode, listen in as Dr. Robert Rothman speaks with Dr. Daniel Brocks, CMO of BostonSight! They discuss the unique PROSE lenses that are redefining corneal care and how BostonSight’s nonprofit mission is making advanced treatments accessible to more patients. Key takeaways include:

• PROSE Lenses: Customized scleral lenses that protect, hydrate, and restore vision for complex eye conditions.
• Increased Accessibility: Boston...