Surgeons Restore Sight and Forge Connections in Panama

From the left, U.S. Air Force Col. (Dr.) Richard Townley, ophthalmologist at Joint Base Elmendorf- Richardson, Alaska, performs manual small incision cataract surgery on a patient while U.S. Air Force Maj. (Dr.) Zack Heath, ophthalmologist at Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, Joint Base San Antonio- Lackland, Texas, stands by a mayo cart full of products and tools necessary for surgery at Regional Hospital Dr. Luis "Chicho" Fabrega in Santiago de Veraguas, Panama, July 19, 2023. Panamax Alpha 2023 offered U.S. military personnel the opportunity of working in resource-limited settings which sharpened their clinical skills while nurturing problem-solving, adaptability, and flexibility, which are crucial as the equipment, methods, and setting often differ from the usual, requiring surgeons to adapt. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Kelsey Martinez)