Over ninety percent of people will develop cataracts after 65, while the ophthalmology workforce is not keeping pace. Julie Brewer, Senior Vice President of Global Franchises at Alcon, joins Russ Fordyce to explain how UNITY VCS combines front of the eye and back of the eye surgery into one console, why that can support roughly one more case per day, and how Alcon is bringing the platform to surgeons, ASCs, and patients.
Alcon was named an Overall Winner in the 2026 BIG Innovation Awards for UNITY VCS.
Guest Julie Brewer, Senior Vice President, Global Franchises, AlconLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-brewer-b4898824/ Company: https://www.alcon.com
Chapters [00:00] Welcome and award [00:51] Alcon's mission [01:38] Julie's healthcare career [02:29] Value propositions [03:29] UNITY VCS explained [04:04] Cataracts and capacity [05:39] One console for two procedures [06:08] Protecting OR space [07:29] Selling through field, service, clinical, and equipment teams [10:04] Upgrade strategy [11:10] Surgeon trust [13:06] OR efficiency studies [14:07] Medicare pressure [16:24] Connected care [17:24] Microscope, diagnostics, and ARDI [18:53] AI in eye care [19:43] Oculomics [22:25] RxSight and adjustable lenses [24:05] Rural eye care [25:40] What changed in Julie's view Key Takeaways Cataract demand is rising while the ophthalmology workforce tightens. Since recruiting alone cannot solve the gap fast enough, throughput per surgeon becomes critical. UNITY VCS combines anterior and posterior capability in one console. That protects operating room space, reduces workflow friction, and can support roughly one additional procedure per day. Adoption depends on trust. Alcon's established presence in eye care, its Centurion and Constellation installed base, and hands-on surgeon experience help practices move to the next generation platform. Resources Mentioned UNITY VCS and CS: https://www.myalcon.com/professional/surgical/unity-vcs-cs/ Alcon time and motion study Ophthalmology workforce projections CMS cataract facility fee proposal Oculomics and retinal imaging research Award Program Alcon was recognized as an Overall Winner in the 2026 BIG Innovation Awards for UNITY VCS. Nominations are open: https://www.bintelligence.com/awards/big-innovation-awards
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