ZEISS Enters Strategic Partnership with SERI to Improve Vision Care for Youth and Aging Populations in Singapore

Carl Zeiss Meditec AG and the Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI) have launched a new strategic collaboration aimed at advancing refractive and cataract surgeries. The OPhthalmic Tech Innovation by ZEISS and SERI (OPTIZS) partnership brings together nearly SG$20 million in funding over three years, supported by Singapore’s Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 Plan.

The collaboration will focus on improving surgical precision and developing personalized solutions to address common post-surgery challenges like dry eyes and corneal edema. In addition, the research will explore innovative treatments for myopia and presbyopia, with the goal of improving both short-term and long-term visual outcomes for patients.

"SERI is excited to continue the long-lasting SERI-ZEISS collaboration with the new OPTIZS programme. ZEISS has been one of our most engaged industry partners through the years and have been instrumental to the research and clinical work that we do at SERI and SNEC," said Professor Jodhbir Mehta, Executive Director at SERI, and Programme Lead for OPTIZS. "We look forward to the next three years as we embark on this exciting journey to develop novel surgical and diagnostic solutions. We hope that these culminate in better visual outcomes for our patients not only in the short term but in the long term too, and thereby, a better quality of life."

This partnership builds on over a decade of collaboration between ZEISS and SERI, including groundbreaking work in lenticule implantation and other ophthalmic innovations.

"ZEISS has long been a pioneer of science in optics and ophthalmic innovation. It’s in our DNA," said Dr Markus Weber, President and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG. "At ZEISS, we understand that collaborating with global partners like SERI can accelerate discoveries and advancements in healthcare, enhancing diagnostic and surgical procedures to best support doctors in their pursuit of improved quality of life for their patients. We look forward to continuing our partnership, working together in the years ahead to modernise and personalise patient care for the future."

The programme is expected to drive significant improvements in vision care for Singapore and beyond, as the demand for cataract and refractive surgeries continues to grow.

"As we focus on shaping the future of ophthalmology and improving vision care in Southeast Asia, collaborating with partners like the highly regarded Singapore Eye Research Institute is great news for practitioners and patients throughout Singapore and beyond,” said Ven Raman, Managing Director for ZEISS Southeast Asia. “Our teams are excited to embark on this multi-year strategic partnership with SERI to enhance vision care and the quality of life of the region’s youth and ageing populations."

For more information on this strategic partnership, please read the press release here