Carolina Kunnen

Carolina Kunnen is a vision science and public health professional with more than 25 years of experience across clinical practice, academia, industry, and non-profit leadership. With a background spanning both R&D and Commercial at Alcon, she brings a balanced perspective that connects scientific evidence, practitioner needs, and strategic insight to advancing eye care innovation and practitioner-centered solutions.

Originally trained in the Netherlands, Carolina has worked across Europe, Africa, Australia, and the U.S., focusing her career on improving access to eye care and strengthening education. Her research in contact lenses and dry eye has led to peer-reviewed publications, international presentations, and collaborations across clinical, academic, and industry teams.

Carolina serves as President of The Optical Foundation, supporting the development of the next generation of optometrists in Ghana. A three-time TEDx speaker, she is known for her passion for innovation, storytelling, and driving meaningful change in global eye care.