Ophthalmology Innovation Source (OIS)

PODCAST EPISODE 432 Click here to watch the video version of this podcast. >>> Firas Rahhal, M.D., partner of ExSight Ventures and Retina Vitreous Associates Medical Group, and Scott Usiak, co-founder of ExSight Ventures, join host Carey Powers on the Eye on Innovation podcast to discuss their new venture, ExSight Catalyst.

Michael is an experienced entrepreneur and angel investor with a deep passion for helping startup technology and medical technology companies advance their business models. He has co-founded, grown, and created liquidity for investors at two startup software companies and a professional services business which he ran for 25 years. Prior to leading his own ventures, he worked for Merrill Lynch, Xerox, and Orco Block Company.

For the past eight years Garrett Hamontree has helped develop Visionary Venture Fund into the most active investor in the Ophthalmology space. Mr. Hamontree is responsible for due diligence of potential investments with a focus on valuations and market potential, assisting in negotiating and executing transactions, as well as the ongoing management of the portfolio companies. Additionally, he leads the work with the fund administration team at Carta as well as the audit and tax work with BDO.

Wayne Caulder recently joined Bausch + Lomb in July 2025 as Vice President & General Manager, Surgical for the U.S. and Canada. With over 30 years of experience in the eye health industry, Wayne brings deep therapeutic expertise across cataract, refractive, retina, age-related macular degeneration, cornea, dry eye, and glaucoma care.

PODCAST EPISODE 421 Click here to watch the video version of this podcast. 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.

Anne Hanneken, M.D., is an Associate Professor of Translational Medicine at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA, an active vitreoretinal surgeon at Scripps Memorial Hospital, and Vice-President/Secretary of Retina Consultants San Diego.

Ben Toker | Co-Founder, CTO, Amaros Ben Toker is a serial entrepreneur and technologist with strong commercial acumen and a focus on digital health. He is currently the Co-Founder and CTO of Amaros – an AI-powered software platform to accelerate clinical studies and enable earlier treatment for vision care. Amaros predicts the progression of eye diseases based on industry-first Machine Learning algorithms that holistically integrate medical imaging, genomics, health data, and clinical studies.

Medical and Surgical Retina specialist with extensive clinical experience treating age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular edema and other vision-threatening posterior eye pathology. Currently working as a Medical Director in late-stage drug development, with experience in Ph III and Ph IV clinical development, medical monitoring, and health authority interactions. Passionate about making life-changing therapies available to patients and their healthcare providers.

Dr. Lai is a principal investigator for several national clinical research trials. He has published over 70 articles, abstracts and book chapters, regularly presents his research at local, national and international meetings, and is the past editor of Retina Update. He has earned such honors as Phi Beta Kappa and Alpha Omega Alpha, and has received a myriad of medical awards including the Paul Ehrlich Research Award, Ronald G.

Dr. Sanders has fashioned a career in education and research with RGW, developing a national reputation. He is well published, having more than 50 papers, articles and presentations to his credit, and has lectured nationally and abroad. He has served as an investigator/sub-investigator in numerous studies of new retinal treatments, including being a principal investigator for the landmark Lucentis® treatment for wet age-related macular degeneration.