Canadian ophthalmologist Martin Spencer, MD, to receive 2024 ASCRS Foundation Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award

(Image Credit: AdobeStock/tomertu)

Martin Spencer, MD, is the recipient of the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Foundation Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award which honors individuals around the world who demonstrate exemplary dedication to humanitarian efforts with a focus on addressing cataract blindness and disability.

According to a news release, the award includes a $100,000 cash prize that Spencer has earmarked for Vancouver-based eye care charity Seva Canada whose board he co-chairs and their US sister organization Seva Foundation.¹

According to the news release, 43 million people worldwide are living with blindness, 80% of which can be treated or prevented. Spencer, who is based on Vancouver Island, has devoted much of his life to ensuring there are trained eye care professionals in low-income countries that can provide their own communities with high-quality eye care today and in the future.

"I am deeply honored and humbled to receive the ASCRS Foundation Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award,” Spencer said in the news release. “This recognition not only symbolizes the collective efforts of those committed to eradicating cataract blindness and disability, but underscores the importance of sustained, impactful humanitarian service. I share this honor with the dedicated teams at Seva Canada and Seva Foundation, whose collaborative spirit propels our shared mission forward. Together, we will continue to make strides in restoring sight and improving countless lives around the world."

Over the last four decades, Spencer has traveled to impoverished regions of the world, including India, Nepal, the Tibetan Areas of China, Madagascar, Malawi, Cambodia, and Guatemala, to train local ophthalmologists on surgical techniques, often at his own expense. He has also designed several instruments for cataract surgery making it more efficient and streamlined for low-income settings, as well as two intraocular lenses (artificial lens implant used in cataract surgery).¹

Spencer also has published and lectured on topics related to cataract surgery in low-income regions and has created innovative surgical technique (manual sutureless cataract surgery) which became a global standard technique for decades.

Reference:

1. BC’s Dr. Martin Spencer is awarded the prestigious 2024 American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Foundation Chang-Crandall Humanitarian Award. Yahoo Finance. Published April 5, 2024. Accessed April 5, 2024. https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/bcs-dr-martin-spencer-awarded-095300501.html