PolyU's Integrative Community Health Centre - The Hong Kong ...

A newsletter of the School of Optometry
Vol. 11 | Issue 1 | 2013
PolyU’s Integrative
Community Health Centre
Receives Social Capital Builders Award

POLYU’S INTEGRATIVE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE
RECEIVES SOCIAL CAPITAL BUILDERS AWARD
The Social Capital Builders (SCB) Award, which is supported by the Community Investment and Inclusion
Fund (CIIF) of the Labour and Welfare Bureau of the Hong Kong SAR Government, is bestowed on
organizations and projects it commends for fostering the development of a harmonious society through
mutual trust and help. This year, the CIIF granted SCB Award logo status to 121 organizations in
recognition of their contributions to social capital building in Hong Kong — and the School of
Optometry of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University is delighted to be one of them!
Kwai Tsing District Councillor Mr. Chow Yick-hay nominated the School for our Integrative Community
Health Centre’s work in the Kwai Tsing community over the past few years. The CIIF 10th Anniversary
Forum and SCB Award Presentation Ceremony were jointly held on 23 November 2012 at the Hong
Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Dr. Andrew Lam, our Associate Head, represented the School
to receive the award.
The Integrative Community Health Centre in Lai King started offering services in 2004 and had a grand
opening in November 2006. It is PolyU’s first-ever off-campus health centre. During the SARS outbreak
in Hong Kong in 2003, PolyU had sent some of its nursing students to Kwai Tsing district to help
promote health and hygiene to the public. The success of this venture sparked the idea at PolyU’s
School of Nursing and School of Optometry of jointly opening a community health care centre in Lai
King. The Centre promotes holistic health and provides health care to local residents through
community empowerment for positive health management. Nurses from the School of Nursing provide
health checks, pain management, weight management and regular health talks, while staff
Optometrists and student Optometrists from the School of Optometry provide eye examinations
through the Vision Hong Kong project.
The charitable Vision Hong Kong project, which is operated by our School, the optometric profession
and the optical industry, aims to offer vision care to the poor and needy. The dispensing service relies
on generous donations of frames and ophthalmic lenses from the profession and the industry. All the
patients are referred by our partner welfare agencies and community nurses. Over 2,500 patients have
benefitted from this project and the majority of them are elderly.
002

In-focus
In 2005, our School collaborated with Kwai Tsing Safe Community and Healthy City Association and
Princess Margaret Hospital to provide diabetic retinopathy screening to diabetic patients attending 13
general out-patient clinics in Kowloon West Cluster. With the help of the effective online booking
system and the continual support from doctors, nurses and all our staff at the Integrative Community
Health Centre, the screening programme has been running smoothly for many years. To date, we have
provided some 31,800 screening episodes and we have found the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy to
be around 27%. Most of the diabetic patients in the cluster area are also educated about the
importance of undergoing regular eye examinations. The success of the screening in Lai King not only
helps to reduce the risk of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy in the community, but it also helps to
develop a screening model and prove the
effectiveness of screening by
Optometrists. The Hospital Authority
launched its Risk Assessment and
Management Programme (RAMP) for
diabetic patients in Hong Kong in 2010
and asked Optometrists to be responsible
for retinal screening in it. This is exactly
what we as Optometrists wanted to
achieve through the project in Lai King!
Apart from diabetic retinopathy
screening, the Centre provides primary
eye care to many elderly people,
including those referred by community
centres in Kwai Tsing district, Tung Wah Group of Hospitals and Po Leung Kuk. Our comprehensive eye
examination is proving to be very useful as most of them have not had any type of eye examination
before. The poor vision in the majority of the elderly can be corrected to a considerable extent with
spectacles. This definitely improves their quality of life and reduces their risk of falls — after all,
prevention is better than cure. Public education about proper eye care and common eye diseases is
another vital task of the Centre. Since 2009, we
have given 58 talks at various community
centres, hospitals and schools.
003

We are also extremely
delighted that the “Lai King
Intranet for Elderly Project”
led by Mr Chow Yick-hay won
a 10th Anniversary
Outstanding Project Award
from CIIF! The nurse-led clinic
in Lai King Estate is a brand-new idea in
Hong Kong, and its value is already
evident by the resulting significant
reduction in hospital admission rate of
the elderly from the estate. Our Lai
King clinic is one of the partners of this
project, and we will regularly provide
vision screening and talks for it.
We would like to thank all the parties and our frontline staff — residents, Optometrists, ophthalmic
assistants, customer service officers and all the other team members — for making the Centre a great
success. Without their dedication and hard work, our aim of serving the community would not have
been achieved. At the same time, we must never forget that our community still needs our continued
efforts in promoting eye care.
Winning an award does not mean the end of our work — rather, it is encouragement to us and
everybody else to start other services and projects in the community!
Miss Rita Sum
Senior Optometrist
School of Optometry
004

WHAT’S HAPPENING
OUT THERE?
In-focus
2 Research Students Win Student Travel Fellowships to American Academy of Optometry Annual
Meeting
Miss Wong Yin-zhi, a PhD student supervised by
Dr. Andrew Lam and Prof. Carly Lam, and Mr. Chan
Ka-yin, a PhD student supervised by Prof. Pauline
Cho, were awarded an educational grant funded by
the Vision Care Institute and the Edward I. Goodlaw
Student Travel Fellowship, respectively, to attend
the American Academy of Optometry’s 91st Annual
Meeting on 24-27 October 2012 in Phoenix, USA.
10th Hong Kong Optometric Conference
With the theme “New
Frontiers in Ophthalmic
Dispensing”, the 10th Hong
Kong Optometric Conference,
which is jointly organized by
the Hong Kong Trade
Development Council, The
Hong Kong Optometric
Association and PolyU’s School
of Optometry, was successfully
held on 8 November 2012 at
the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Prof. To Chi-ho, Associate Head of the School, and
Mr. Lo Hing-nam, President of The Hong Kong Optometric Association, were invited to deliver the
welcoming remarks, and Dr. CC Luk, Cluster Chief Executive of the Hospital Authority’s Hong Kong
West Cluster, gave the opening address.
The conference attracted more than 600 participants from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and
other parts of Asia, Europe and North America. Five distinguished speakers shared their invaluable
insights on ophthalmic dispensing with the audience: Prof. Mo Jalie (UK); Dr. Kee Chea-su, Assistant
Professor of our School; Mr. Timo C. Kratzer (Germany), Prof. Arnold Wilkins (UK); and Dr. Richard
Clompus (USA). The topics ranged from ophthalmic lens design, coloured filters, to electronically
focusing eyewear. A panel discussion on “The Evolution of the Hong Kong Optical Industry” was
moderated by Mr. Chow Tak-fung, FPVC (Hon) 2008, The Professional Validation Council of Hong
Kong Industries, and Managing Director of Easy Power Ltd.; Prof. George Woo, Emeritus Professor
and Visiting Chair Professor of Optometry of the School; and Dr. Victor Woo, a founder of The Hong
Kong Ophthalmic Associates.
005

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THERE?
Prof. George Woo and Prof. Carly Lam Attend The Third Optometry Education Forum – Establishment of
an Education Plan and Degree System for Optometry in China
Invited by the West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Prof. George Woo, Emeritus Professor
and Visiting Chair Professor of Optometry of the School and Prof. Carly Lam, Head of the School
attended the Third Optometry Education Forum – Establishment of an Education Plan and Degree
System for Optometry in China, this was held on 10 November 2012 in Chengdu, China. Prof. Gerald
Lowther, Emeritus Professor and Former Dean of School of Optometry, Indiana University, and
Chairman of Education Committee, World Council of Optometry, was also invited to deliver a
presentation.
This education forum attracted participation from prominent academics from 10 universities and
colleges offering 4-year Optometry programme on the Chinese mainland to gather concerted efforts to
promote an independent Optometry curriculum and discipline, and develop discipline related research
for Optometry undergraduate and postgraduate education in China.
Addressing the forum, Prof. Lam introduced to the audience the history and development of the
Optometry profession, programme curriculum and exchange activities at the School of Optometry of
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. She also aspired to strengthen the collaboration between our
School and the tertiary institutions in China and to foster more exchanges between academics and
students. Prof. Woo described the work and position of the optometrists in Hong Kong and analyzed
the status of the optometrists abroad, in Hong Kong and on the Chinese Mainland. To conclude his
presentation, Prof. Woo
called for contributions
from various institutions
and academics to develop
the Optometry profession
on the Chinese mainland.
006

WHAT’S HAPPENING
AT SCHOOL?
In-focus
18th PolyU Congregation
The conferment sessions of the 18th PolyU Congregation for the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences
were held on campus at the Jockey Club Auditorium from 6-7 November 2012, with the School’s
graduands presented at the first session. This year, the Congregation saluted 4 PhD candidates, 1 MPhil
candidate and 31 undergraduates in Optometry. In addition, 3 of our undergraduates, Miss Lo
Wing-sze, Miss Wong Chun-ki and Mr. Wu Wai-lok, were named on the Dean’s Honours List. We extend
our warmest congratulations to all of our new graduates, including the now Dr. Sam Cheng, Dr. Patrick
Ho, Dr. Gordon Tang and Dr. Christy Yiu, and Ms. Jessie Charm, and we wish them every success in the
future.
Memorandum of Understanding Renewed with Tianjin Eye Hospital
The School renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Tianjin Eye Hospital to strengthen
teaching and research cooperation for another three years. The MoU
was signed by Prof. Tang Xin, President of Tianjin Eye Hospital, and
Prof. Carly Lam, Head of our School, at a ceremony on 19
November 2012 in PolyU’s Optometry Clinic.
007

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SCHOOL?
Prof. Cecilia Li (2nd from left in the 1st row)
Prof. Bernard Gilmartin (3rd from left in the 1st row)
Prof. Dennis Levi (5th from left in the 1st row)
Prof. Thomas Freddo (1st from right in the 1st row)
Departmental Review
By Prof. Carly Lam, Head of
School
The year 2012 was a challenging
and fruitful year for the School.
One great challenge was the
Departmental Review (DR), which
comes around once every six years.
The DR was particularly productive
as we gained valuable positive
comments and suggestions from
the DR panel, which will benefit
the School in future.
In order for both academic and
administrative staff to be well
prepared for the DR, a series of meetings were scheduled from March. One such meeting was a half-day
strategy meeting at our Lai King clinic on 30 April, where we formulated and refined working plans and
preliminary schedules and assigned responsibilities for the preparation of DR documents.
Since those early meetings, the academic staff worked tirelessly in the preparation while the general
office worked diligently to provide administrative support.
The panel members included Prof. Thomas Freddo from the University of Waterloo, Prof. Dennis Levi
from the University of California, Berkeley, Prof. Bernard Gilmartin from Aston University, and Prof.
Cecilia Li-Tsang from PolyU’s Department of Rehabilitation Sciences. Prof. Maurice Yap, Dean of PolyU’s
Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, was the chairman of the panel. They arrived at the School on 27
November, marking the beginning of the exercise.
Several meetings were held on that day between the panel and our academic staff, representatives
from the profession, Prof. Ricky Man as Chairman of the Optometrists Board, representatives from
stakeholder groups, student representatives from current undergraduate and postgraduate
programmes, and representatives from alumni.
The panel reviewed and provided feedback on the School’s strategic plans, teaching and learning,
research, and professional registration. Over two days, the panel toured the campus and the satellite
clinics.
The DR exercise was completed satisfactorily with very positive comments, signifying that the School has
gone from strength to strength,
cementing our reputation as one of
the most robust departments in PolyU
and one of the leading Optometry
schools in the world.
Credit goes to everyone at the School
for all their hard work, commitment
and collegial spirit, and special thanks
and appreciation to the general office
for their timely support throughout
the exercise.
008

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SCHOOL?
In-focus
Plaque Unveiling Ceremony by The Hong Kong Optometric Association
To commemorate The Hong Kong Optometric Association’s continual support to Optometry education
over the past years, a plaque unveiling ceremony took place on 3 December 2012 in PolyU’s Optometry
Clinic.
Plaque Unveiling Ceremony by Mr. Jeffrey Yip
A plaque unveiling ceremony took place on 3 December 2012 in
PolyU’s Optometry Clinic to
mark a donation of
HK$200,000 from Mr. Jeffrey
Yip, Adjunct Professor of the
School, for supporting the
School’s activities.
009

WHAT’S HAPPENING AT SCHOOL?
School Staff Win 16 Medals at PolyU Staff Games 2012
A big turnout of 36 staffers from the School participated
in several athletics and fun events at the 3rd PolyU Staff
Games Day on 9 December 2012. Our staff broke the
record for the 100m Men’s Masters and set new records
for the 1500m Women’s Open and the 4 x 100m
Women’s Relay. They also captured an impressive 16 medals: 2 gold, 6 silver and 6 bronze medals in
individual events; and 1 gold and 1 bronze in the 4 x 100m Women’s Relay and the 4 x 100m Men’s
Relay, respectively.
Our team spirit shone through as we helped our Faculty of Health
and Social Sciences team to win both the Best Team Award and
the Most Supportive Team Award for the second year running.
Congratulations to everyone from the School who took part!
PolyU Long Service Awards
The School’s Dr. Henry Chan (2nd from left), Dr. Andrew Lam (3rd
from left) and Ms. Winnie Hui (4th from left) received Long Service
Awards from PolyU at a presentation ceremony on 18 January 2013.
Congratulations to them!
School Retreat 2013
On 18 January 2013, 54
staff members attended
the annual School
retreat. This year, it was
held at the Aberdeen
Boat Club. Prof. Carly
Lam, Head of the School,
briefed the staff before
they split into their work-related teams for a discussion session. The six teams were: academic
programme and Optometrist teams 1 and 2; general office team; dispensing and ophthalmic assistant
team; customer service team; and technical team. Members within each team exchanged views and
ideas to set their team’s objectives for 2013. After the discussion, the team leaders presented their
teams’ ideas. Dr. Henry Chan, leader of the academic programme and Optometrist team 2, presented
suggestions on a Myopic Control Clinical Centre, increasing student numbers, a replacement cycle for
outdated equipment, manpower shortage, and alumni networking. Dr. Andrew Lam, leader of the
programme & optometrist team 1, talked about enhancing ocular therapeutic training through more
exposure. Mr. Roger Chiu, leader of the dispensing and ophthalmic assistant team, highlighted the
importance of training in governance and service quality assurance. Ms. Linda Liu and Ms. Ann Chan,
leaders of the general office team and the customer service team, respectively, provided attendees with
updates on their teams’ current operations and projects. Mr. Jimmy Pang, leader of the technical team,
set objectives on improving the efficiency of the Optometry Clinic Management System and related
clinical computing resources.
010

In-focus
OUR PEOPLE
Visiting Professors of Nankai University Eye Hospital
Our School’s Prof. George Woo, Emeritus Professor
and Visiting Chair Professor of Optometry, and Prof.
Carly Lam, Head of the School, were appointed as
Visiting Professors of Nankai University Eye Hospital
(a.k.a. Tianjin Eye Hospital) in Tianjin, China. They
received their certificates of appointment from Prof.
Tang Xin, President of Tianjin Eye Hospital, on 19
November 2012.
Honorary and Adjunct Appointments of the School
Honorary Professor
Prof. David Wong
(re-appointment)
(Albert Young Bing Ching Chair Professor in Ophthalmology
Head, Department of Ophthalmology
Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
The University of Hong Kong)
Adjunct Professors
Prof. Tang Xin
(new appointment)
(President, Tianjin Eye Hospital)
Prof. Tang Xin is President and Chief Physician of Tianjin Eye
Hospital and Director of Tianjin Ophthalmology Research Institute.
He is also Chief Expert of the Cataract Center of Tianjin Eye
Hospital.
Prof. Victor Woo
(re- appointment)
(Private Ophthalmologist)
Prof. Kenneth Lam
(re-appointment)
(Private Optometrist)
Prof. Edmund Chiang
(re-appointment)
(Private Optometrist)
Prof. Patrick Tong
(re-appointment)
(Private Ophthalmologist)
011

OUR PEOPLE
Adjunct Associate Professors
Ms. Rufina Chan
(re-appointment)
(Private Optometrist)
Dr. Desmond Cheng
(re-appointment)
(Private Optometrist)
Mr. Patrick Cheng
(re-appointment)
(Private Optometrist)
Mr. Yeung Sai-man
(re-appointment)
(Solicitor)
New Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry
Mr. Chan Ka-yin, a PhD student under the supervision of Prof.
Pauline Cho, was admitted as a Fellow of the American
Academy of Optometry in October 2012. Congratulations!
Donation to the School
Mr. Tong Chan-ho donated HK$800 to support student development at the School in December
2012.
Visitors to the School
Dr. June Crown
Special Advisor, World Health
Organization
Date: 22 Oct 2012
First row (from left to right):
Prof. George Woo, Emeritus Professor and
Visiting Chair Professor of Optometry, PolyU,
Dr. Amy Chiu, Assistant Director (Health
Administration and Planning), Department of
Health, Dr. June Crown, special adviser to the
World Health Organization, Dr. Leung Pak-yin,
Chief Executive, Hospital Authority of Hong
Kong SAR, Prof. Alex Molasiotis, Head of
School of Nursing, PolyU
Second row (from left to right):
Dr. Kee Chea-su, Assistant Professor, School of Optometry, PolyU, Mr. So Yiu Wah, Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Hong Kong, Dr. Polly
Lau, Department Manager, Physiotherapy Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Dr. Sylvia Fung, Chief Manager (Nursing), Head Office,
Hospital Authority, Prof. Cecilia Li, Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, PolyU, Dr. Maria Law, Hong Kong Sanatorium and
Hospital, Dr. Do Chi-wai, Assistant Professor, School of Optometry, PolyU
012

OUR PEOPLE
In-focus
Visitors to the School
International Academy of Orthokeratology
Date: 29 Oct 2012
Dr. Katrina Schmid
Associate Professor, School of Optometry
and Vision Science, Queensland University of
Technology, Australia
Date: 5 Nov 2012
(From left to right: Dr. Helen Duan, Assistant Clinical Professor,
SUNY College of Optometry, Prof. Carly Lam, Head, School of
Optometry, PolyU, Dr. Cary Herzberg, President, International
Academy of Orthokeratology and President, Orthokeratology
Academy of America, Prof. George Woo, Emeritus Professor and
Visiting Chair Professor of Optometry, PolyU, Mr, Jimmy Tse,
Optometrist, School of Optometry, PolyU)
College of Optometry, Manila Central
University, Philippines
Date: 7 Nov 2012
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen
University, China
Date: 7 Nov 2012
Dr. Susan Cooper
President-elect, World Council of Optometry
Date: 13 Nov 2012
(From left to right: Prof. Gerald Lowther, Emeritus Professor and Former
Dean, School of Optometry, Indiana University, Prof. Carly Lam, Head, School
of Optometry, PolyU, Dr. Susan Cooper, Mr. Brian Cooper, Prof. George Woo,
Emeritus Professor and Visiting Chair Professor of Optometry, PolyU)
013

OUR PEOPLE
Prof. Brian A. Barsky
Professor of Computer Science, Computer Science
Division, Affiliate Professor of Optometry and Vision
Science, School of Optometry, University of
California, Berkeley, USA
Date: 23 Nov 2012
Dr. Peter Hendicott (5th left)
Head, School of Optometry and Vision
Science, Queensland University of
Technology, Australia
Date: 26 Nov 2012
Prof. Samuel Wu
Professor of Ophthalmology, Camille and Raymond
Hankamer Chair in Ophthalmology, Professor of
Neuroscience, Professor of Molecular Physiology and
Biophysics, Cullen Eye Institute, Baylor College of
Medicine, USA
Date: 26 Nov 2012
Prof. Liu Yizhi (middle)
Director, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen
University, China
Dr. Chen Xiang (1st right)
Head, Academic Affairs Office, Zhongshan
Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, China
Date: 14 Dec 2012
Prof. Ernst Goldschmidt
Head, Danish Institute for Myopia
Research, Denmark
Date: 28 Jan-5 Feb 2013
014

In-focus
OUR RESEARCH
New Genes Controlling Children’s Eyesight Discovered
By Dr. Jeremy Guggenheim, Associate Professor
Over the past 30 years, the number of Hong Kong children developing
myopia (shortsightedness) has risen alarmingly. Currently, more than
80% will have the condition by the time they leave school. Similarly
high rates of myopia are seen in cities in mainland China, Taiwan, Japan
and Singapore.
Spending excessive amounts of time reading and not enough time
outdoors are thought to be important risk factors for myopia. However,
inherited factors are also implicated. To directly investigate the role of
genetics in myopia susceptibility, researchers from 64 universities and
research institutes in 13 different countries and territories teamed up to
form CREAM — the Consortium for Refractive Error and Myopia. The
CREAM investigators, including myself and Prof. Yip Shea ping from
PolyU’s Department of Health Technology and Informatics, succeeded
in identifying 16 new genes involved in myopia development.
The newly identified genes offer an important insight into how
shortsightedness develops, while also confirming its remarkable complexity.
Many of the genes are believed to play a role in the retina, the fragile layer
situated within the eye responsible for detecting light. This fits neatly with
previous work carried out at PolyU’s Centre for Myopia Research, in which
animal studies have shown that retinal signals control myopia development.
One exciting possibility is that the genes discovered by CREAM determine
the strength of these retinal signals: if so, they would be attractive targets
for novel drugs aimed at preventing myopia progression. Other genes
identified by the CREAM team play a role in the sclera, which is the tough
outer coat of the eye (the “white of the eye”). The genes in the sclera may
be important determinants of the eye’s strength and rigidity. Shortsighted eyes tend to be larger than
normal, so these genes may make the eyes of would-be myopes more susceptible to excessive growth
during childhood.
The CREAM team mainly recruited unselected members of the general public as research subjects. This
differs from most previous studies, which recruited individuals or families with extreme levels of the
condition. As a consequence, the genes identified by CREAM are those that contribute most strongly to
the eyesight development of the whole population rather than rarely occurring variations that give rise
to high-degree myopia in isolated families.
This work was published in “Nature Genetics”: Genome-wide
meta-analyses of multiancestry cohorts identify multiple new
susceptibility loci for refractive error and myopia. 2013;45:314-318.
015

OUR RESEARCH
Conference Presentations
Presenter Conference Title of Presentation
Prof. Pauline Cho
Prof. George Woo
Dr. Kee Chea-su
Dr. Lily Chan
Prof. To Chi-ho
2012 Guangzhou International Orthokeratology
Conference (China), 28 October 2012
The 10th Hong Kong Optometric Conference
(Hong Kong), 8 November 2012
The 10th Hong Kong Optometric Conference
(Hong Kong), 8 November 2012
The 8th International Symposium of
Ophthalmology (Hong Kong), 14-16 December
2012
The 11th Meeting of the Association for Ocular
Pharmacology and Therapeutics (Spain), 7-10
February 2013
Options for myopic control in children
The evolution of the Hong Kong optical industry
Implications of current research on astigmatism
The effect of bilberry extract on dry eyes: a pilot
study
Intracellular electrical properties and chloride
transport characteristics of porcine ciliary
epithelial cells
New Papers
Cho P, Boost MV, Daily disposable lenses: The better
alternative. Cont Lens Anterior Eye 2013;36:4-12.
Guggenheim JA, McMahon G, Kemp JP, Akhtar S, St
Pourcain B, Northstone K, Ring SM, Evans DM, Smith GD,
Timpson NJ, Williams C, A genome-wide association study
for corneal curvature identifies the platelet-derived
growth factor receptor alpha gene as a quantitative trait
locus for eye size in white Europeans. Mol Vis
2013;19:243-53.
Hon Y, Lam AK, Corneal Deformation Measurement
Using Scheimpflug Noncontact Tonometry. Optom Vis Sci
2013;90:e1-e8.
Lam AK, Tse JS, Pentacam anterior chamber parameters
in young and middle-aged Chinese. Clin Exp Optom
2013;96:85-91.
Li SY, Fung FK, Fu ZJ, Wong D, Chan HH, Lo AC,
Anti-inflammatory effects of lutein in retinal
ischemic/hypoxic injury: in vivo and in vitro studies. Invest
Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2012;53:5976-84.
Lung JC, Swann PG, Chan HH, Early local functional
changes in the human diabetic retina: a global flash
multifocal electroretinogram study. Graefes Arch Clin Exp
Ophthalmol 2012.
Verhoeven VJ, Hysi PG, Wojciechowski R, Fan Q,
Guggenheim JA, Hohn R, Macgregor S, Hewitt AW, Nag
A, Cheng CY, Yonova-Doing E, Zhou X, Ikram MK,
Buitendijk GH, McMahon G, Kemp JP, Pourcain BS,
Simpson CL, Makela KM, Lehtimaki T, Kahonen M,
Paterson AD, Hosseini SM, Wong HS, Xu L, Jonas JB,
Parssinen O, Wedenoja J, Yip SP et al. Genome-wide
meta-analyses of multiancestry cohorts identify multiple
new susceptibility loci for refractive error and myopia. Nat
Genet 2013;45:314-318.
Woo GC, Woo SY, The need for full scope primary eye
care in every country. Clin Exp Optom 2013;96:1-3.
Zhu MM, Yap M, Ho DW, Fung WY, Ng PW, Gu YS, Yip
SP, Investigating the relationship between UMODL1 gene
polymorphisms and high myopia: a case-control study in
Chinese. BMC Med Genet 2012;13:64.
Upcoming Conferences / Seminars / Workshops
Conferences
Details
The 19th Asia Pacific Optometric Congress
(Website: http://www.asiapacificoptometry.org/19thapoc.html)
The 11th Hong Kong Optometric Conference
Date & Venue
2-4 October 2013
63 Convention Centre, Korea
November 2013 (Date to be confirmed)
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre,
Hong Kong
School
The Third Primary Eye Care Conference
Speaker: Professor Darren Shickle
Head of the Academic Unit of Public Health Institute of
Health Sciences, University of Leeds, UK
4-5 December 2013
Chiang Chen Studio Theatre,
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
24 April 2013
Room N002, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,
Hong Kong
Seminars Speaker: Ms Gigi Yee
25 June 2013
Resident Optometrist, School of Optometry,
Room EF311, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University,
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
016

In-focus
STUDENTS CORNER
Inbound Exchange Student
22 Oct-7 Dec 2012
University of Waterloo, Canada
From left to right: Miss Li Yin Kwan Lucia,
Miss Law Yuen Wai Amy and Mr. Michael Eric Pedersen
Students Actively Participate in Service-Learning Vision
Screening Projects
In alignment with PolyU’s motto “To learn and to apply, for
the benefit of mankind”, our students have been actively
engaging themselves in vision screening projects in a view to
connecting their learning experiences with academic
curriculum. Over the past year, we have served more than
2,600 people ranging from kindergarten to secondary school
students, senior citizens, new-immigrants, low-income families
and people with physical disabilities. Through these projects, students can apply what they have
learned in the classroom to enrich their clinical experience. In effect, it helps raise students’
awareness of health care issues relating to the profession and reflect on the roles and social
responsibilities of optometrists in the community.
More importantly, we hope to promote public awareness about eye health. The provision of
vision screening are to identify people who may be having high risk in developing eye
disorders/diseases and refer them in a timely manner for future evaluation, if appropriate. Many
ocular conditions including amblyopia and strabismus can be treated successfully with corrective
lenses and/or vision therapy when discovered early. However, many of the ocular
disorders/diseases such as glaucoma and
diabetic retinopathy can pose significant
risks of permanent vision loss if left
untreated.
With the unfailing support and enthusiastic
participation from our students and staff
members, our students won 2 awards and 2
certificates of excellence at the PolyU
Outstanding Service-Learning Project Award
2011-12. An award presentation ceremony
was held on 21 February 2013 on PolyU
campus to recognize these exemplary
projects.
017

STUDENTS CORNER
PROJECT NAME
AWARD(S)
GROUP MEMBERS
ADVISOR
Opening your eye,
Beautify your mind
( 一 視 同 仁 )
Hang Seng Bank Best
Sustainable Service
Project Award
(course-required project)
Silver Award, PolyU
Outstanding
Service-Learning Project
Award
(course-required project)
• Lo Wing Jing
• Ma Sheung Man
• Lee Ka Yin
• Wong Ka Man
• Shi Lei
Dr. Do Chi-wai
The Joint Screening of
School of Optometry and
Zhongshan Ophthalmic
Centre
( 香 港 理 工 大 學 眼 科 視 光 學
院 與 中 山 眼 科 中 心 合 作 眼
睛 篩 查 服 務 )
Certificate of Excellence
(course-required project)
• Chu Ching Yi
• Feng Jia
• Ip Jasmine Win-Lam
• Li Ka Man
• Shen Jiachang
• Yau Hoi Yin
Dr. Do Chi-wai
2012 Vision Screening for
Students, Turpan,
Xinjiang
(2012 新 彊 驗 眼 之 旅 )
Certificate of Excellence
(self-initiated project)
• Au Yan Yee, Sandy
• Chan Wan Yin, Tiffany
• Chan Wing Yan, Becky
• Chan Wing Yan, Winnie
• Cheng Man Yee, Sala
• Mok Tsz Ching
• Ho Yat Ming
• Li Ka Man
• Yau Hoi Yin
Dr. Henry Chan
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In-focus
OPTOMETRY ALUMNI
Words from students of “Opening your eye, beautify your mind” Project
Shi Lei (1st from left): I have learnt
a lot from this project. What I
treasured most is I can apply
professional knowledge gained in
classes to serve people in need and
strengthen my communication and
organizational skills.
Lo Wing Jing (3rd from left): “Opening your eye,
beautify your mind” is the most meaningful service I
have ever organized. From planning, organization and
evaluation, I enjoyed every moment with my
teammates. In the future, I hope to organize similar eye
screening service and contribute more to the
community.
Lee Ka Yin (2nd from
left): Through this
project, I understand
more on how to
organize a voluntary
event besides
providing professional
service to people in
need.
Hang Seng Bank Best Sustainable Service Project Award
presented by Ms. Carina Chow, Corporate Responsibility Manager,
Hang Seng Bank
Wong Ka Man (did not attend the
award presentation ceremony): This
project gave me the chance to serve
the community with optometric
knowledge and enhanced my
clinical experience. I appreciate the
mingling between senior and junior
students: senior students
assisted junior students in
performing the vision screening
efficiently and effectively.
Ma Sheung Man (1st from right): This
project not only served our beneficiaries
by providing them with eye screening
services, but also provided me the chance
to fully utilize my talents and
professional knowledge and skills to
serve the community.
Silver Award, PolyU Outstanding Service-Learning Project Award
presented by Ms. Marjorie Yang, PolyU Council Chairman
019

OPTOMETRY ALUMNI
Hong Kong Optometry Golf Day 2012
The 9th Hong Kong Optometry Golf Day, which was hosted by the Optometry Alumni Association, got
under way on 14 November 2012 at the East Course of Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course. The day
turned out to be very pleasant for golfing for the 28 participants. Our gratitude also goes to Mr.
Colman Chan of Skyview Optical Co. Ltd. for sponsoring the awards for the winners.
THE FINAL RESULTS:
Optometry Champion
Dr. Henry Chan
1st runner-up (Optometry)
Mr. Gordon Mak
2nd runner-up (Optometry)
Mr. Tony Wong
Best Gross Score (Optometry)
Mr. Stephen Lee
Guest Champion
Mr. Wu Sai-chung
1st runner-up (Guest) and Nearest-to-pin
Dr. Chau Tai-nin
2nd runner-up (Guest)
Dr. Wilson Lee
Best Gross Score (Guest) and Nearest-to-pin
Dr. Jun Liang
Nearest-to-pin
Mr. Andy Lau
Nearest-to-pin
Mr. Colman Chan
Alumna Bestowed with The Glenn A. Fry Award 2012
Our alumna Dr. Susana Chung, who completed her Optometry training in 1987 at the then Hong Kong
Polytechnic, was the recipient of The Glenn A. Fry Award at the American Academy of Optometry’s
91st Annual Meeting in Phoenix, USA, in late October 2012. This prestigious award was given to
recognize Dr. Chung’s creative and innovative research in visual sciences. She has been working on the
understanding of factors limiting low vision patients in their ability to read. We are proud of her
distinguished research contributions to the well-being of this special patient group.
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OPTOMETRY ALUMNI
In-focus
Alumni Publishes “Adventure Iceland” Book
By Miss Maymay Cheng, Miss Cat Chow and Miss May Huang
We three Optometry graduates of 2006 are happy to share our story here with you!
The three of us were not only good classmates and good friends, but we are also good trip-mates! Ever
since we made a trip to celebrate our graduation, we seem to have committed to go travelling
together every year. We love travelling to explore life, to experience the world and to be refreshed!
In 2010 we explored Iceland — the land where American astronauts trained to walk on the moon.
Just before we left for our trip, a volcano there erupted and severely paralyzed air traffic over Europe.
Nevertheless, our trip finally started smoothly. We landed safely, but the volcano
erupted again during our stay, icy roads blocked our way, our
car ran out of fuel in a desolate valley, the electricity got cut off
during a freezing night … However, we faced and got over all of
these obstacles together. What a fantastic and absolutely
different travelling experience we had! That’s why we decided to
write a book, “Adventure Iceland”.
Living in a metropolis like Hong Kong, we are always racing
against time and the pace of life. Working routinely day in, day
out, life seems to be measured by how many zeros
appear in your bank account. We believe life should
have pauses, and life should be shared with friends
and family. When people say they admire our life so
full of journeys, we tell them: “Don’t admire. Go!”
Why not take a pause, grab your backpack, and step
out to Iceland (our world)!
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