ZEISS Medical Technology nominated for German Future Prize 2025

Jena, Germany | September 17, 2025 | Carl Zeiss Meditec AG

Today, the Office of the Federal President announced the nominations for the German Future Prize 2025 (Deutscher Zukunftspreis) at the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The nominees include Dr. Mark Bischoff, Dr. Gregor Stobrawa and Dirk Mühlhoff with their project for minimally invasive lenticule extraction to correct refractive errors. Together with the team from ZEISS Medical Technology, they developed the highly precise technology required for this: SMILE^® with VISUMAX^®. This technology enables surgeons to correct near-sightedness (myopia) and far-sightedness (hyperopia), with and without astigmatism.

ZEISS SMILE with ZEISS VISUMAX is setting new standards for refractive surgery and enables all laser vision correction steps in a single system. To achieve this, the ZEISS team of developers combined a femtosecond laser with special high-performance optics and modern computer control. The technology enables the very precise focusing of intense but extremely short laser pulses inside the cornea without damaging the surface. Thanks to the precise spatial alignment of millions of such focal points, the ZEISS VISUMAX medical femtosecond laser developed by the team separates a lens-shaped piece of tissue called a lenticule – first the back, then the front of the lenticule. In the final step, the laser system creates a two-millimeter incision, through which the surgeon removes the lenticule. The shape of the anterior corneal surface changes, and this achieves the intended refractive correction. The incision, which is just a few millimeters wide, closes within a few hours.

"We are very pleased that, once again, a team from ZEISS has been nominated for this prestigious award. Our significant innovative strength is what drives us, and SMILE technology is the best example of how ZEISS repeatedly succeeds in going beyond the limits of what's possible," says Maximilian Foerst, President and CEO of Carl Zeiss Meditec AG. "This nomination is an honor for us and encourages us to develop leading technologies that will drive medical progress in the future, too."

Every year, more than 50 million people worldwide reach adulthood with refractive errors that require correction.¹ The team's innovation offers a great opportunity for clear vision without eyeglasses or contact lenses to precisely those people whose numbers are growing worldwide due to a variety of factors. The technology that the nominees developed for minimally invasive lenticule extraction surgery allows for the permanent correction of refractive errors – safe, precise and minimally invasive.²

"For those of us on the development team, it was always important to come up with innovative systems and procedures that allow surgeons to correct refractive errors with outstanding quality. This nomination is a major recognition for our team that for years has worked with tireless dedication, expertise and passion to enable as many people as possible to enjoy good vision without glasses or contact lenses," says Dr. Mark Bischoff on behalf of the team.

It took ten years from the start of the project to receive clinical approval for the treatment method in Europe. Since then, SMILE technology has revolutionized refractive surgery worldwide: surgeons in more than 80 countries now perform the minimally invasive lenticule extraction procedure using a ZEISS VISUMAX. Globally, they have treated more than 12 million eyes with the SMILE technology.

Thanks to SMILE, ZEISS is now the global market leader in laser vision correction, with which the company generates annual revenue of more than half a billion euros. Over 300 employees develop and produce the medical laser systems and sterile consumables at the ZEISS sites in Jena and Berlin.