Lam Kin Chung . Jet King-Shing Ho Glaucoma Treatment and Research Centre is established in 2021 with generous donation by Dr Lam Kin Chung, Dr Ho Hau Wong and Dr Ho King Shing Jet to facilitate the treatment and research of glaucoma. Glaucoma is one of the most common and important cause of irreversible blindness in Hong Kong and worldwide. In Hong Kong, about 25% of irreversible blindness is caused by glaucoma, and there are around 100,000 glaucoma patients suffering from various levels of visual disability. Glaucoma involves the irreversible loss of retinal ganglion cells, and currently, there is no cure.
Lam Kin Chung . Jet King-Shing Ho Glaucoma Treatment and Research Centre aims:
(1) To be a world-leading centre for glaucoma treatment, and scientific research into the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of glaucoma, especially for Chinese patients.
(2) To conduct glaucoma related research, for example:
- To advance research in investigative technologies for early, non-invasive and pre-symptomatic diagnosis of glaucoma.
- To investigate the molecular genetics of glaucoma, especially early-onset, for establishment of polygenic risk factor.
- To study novel therapeutic treatment for glaucoma, including stem cell therapy.
(3) To provide training programmes to eye doctors, visual scientists, and allied health professionals in glaucoma management and research.
(4) To increase public awareness and understanding of glaucoma through intensive public educational campaigns.
(5) To advocate to the government authorities for more public funding support for prevention and treatment programmes for glaucoma.
Prof THAM Chee Yung Clement
Director
段崇智校長、陳家亮院長、林健忠博士、何厚煌博士、各位嘉賓：
今天很高興各位在百忙之中抽空出席「何敬誠 . 林健忠青光眼治療及研究中心」的開幕禮。首先我要感謝林博士、何博士、林健忠曉陽慈善基金會捐贈一千五百萬給香港中文大學眼科及視覺科學學系，成立青光眼治療及研究中心，推動青光眼治療及研究的工作。
香港中文大學眼科及視覺科學學系成立二十七年，作為香港首個眼科專科學術部門，在我們的團隊共同努力下，我們於臨床，研究和教育的工作均取得卓越國際成就。其中於青光眼的工作上，我們更開展了不少創新的診斷和治療方法。
青光眼是一種常見不可逆轉的致盲眼病。在香港，約25％的不可逆轉的失明是由青光眼引起。目前雖然尚無治愈青光眼的方法，但如果及早發現並獲適當治療，可避免或延緩對視力造成進一步的損害。青光眼治療及研究中心成立的目的是希望透過最尖端的科研，開發更有效及更安全的治療方案，從而在可見的將來將青光眼引致的視力損失減到最低。
將來，除了科研的工作外，中心將會透過不同公眾教育活動，提升市民對青光眼的認識及關注，從多方面做好教育、預防及治療的工作。在此，我要再次感謝林博士、何博士的慷慨捐款。
CUHK Establishes Lam Kin Chung . Jet King-Shing Ho Glaucoma Treatment and Research Centre
To Promote Advancement in Glaucoma Management in Hong Kong through Research and Training
The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences of the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CU Medicine) has received a generous donation of HK$15 million from Dr. LAM Kin Chung and Dr. HO Hau Wong to establish the Lam Kin Chung . Jet King-Shing Ho Glaucoma Treatment and Research Centre, with the aim of advancing glaucoma management in Hong Kong through research, training, and education. Amongst its many programmes, the Centre will launch a pilot study to investigate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the detection of the disease, which aims to allow patients to receive timely evaluation by ophthalmologists and to reduce their risk of glaucoma blindness.
Glaucoma is the most common cause of irreversible blindness in Hong Kong
Glaucoma is a common eye condition where the optic nerve, which connects the eye to the brain, becomes irreversibly damaged, often due to a buildup of pressure inside the eye. Glaucoma can lead to irreversible loss of vision, if it is not diagnosed and treated early. In Hong Kong, about 25% of irreversible blindness is caused by glaucoma, and there are about 100,000 glaucoma patients suffering from various levels of visual disability.
Modern treatments can only slow down or stop further visual loss from glaucoma, but cannot recover any vision that is already lost. Early and accurate diagnosis of glaucoma amongst people at risk is critical to prevent even more visual loss from glaucoma.
Professor Clement C.Y. THAM, Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, CU Medicine, remarked, “Over the past two decades, our department has made important and pioneering contributions to the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma These include advancing the understanding of the pathological basis of glaucoma through genetic studies, achieving earlier diagnosis of glaucoma and detection of progression through advanced imaging technologies, improving the management of glaucoma through extensive clinical trials on both laser and surgical treatment options, and exploring the possibility of regenerating retinal ganglion cells through sophisticated laboratory research. With the tremendous support from Dr. LAM Kin Chung and Dr. HO Hau Wong, our newly established glaucoma treatment and research centre is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to provide advanced training and educational programmes for healthcare professionals, as well as world-leading clinical services for glaucoma patients.”
To investigate the use of AI in glaucoma detection
The Lam Kin Chung . Jet King-Shing Ho Glaucoma Treatment and Research Centre will also help promote research programmes that advance the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, bringing substantial benefits to communities both in Hong Kong and the surrounding regions. Glaucoma detection with AI is one of the pilot studies of the Centre.
Dr. Carol Y.L. CHEUNG, Associate Professor of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, CU Medicine, remarked, “Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is widely used for glaucoma detection and management. OCT is proposed for use in glaucoma screening. However, the interpretation of OCT images still requires expertise from experienced ophthalmologists. Glaucoma screening using OCT is thus prohibitively cost-ineffective, and also practically impossible under present circumstances due to the shortage of experienced expert manpower. Over the last few years, we have developed state-of-the-art AI-based technologies in OCT for an automated detection of people at risk of multiple eye diseases, including glaucoma. Currently, one focus of our glaucoma research is to translate our AI-related research from “bench” to “bedside”. We are collaborating with Hong Kong Eye Hospital to conduct a pilot study with an aim to deploy the AI algorithm to enhance the screening and triaging of suspected glaucoma patients for timely evaluation by ophthalmologists and early treatment for those confirmed glaucoma patients. This will bring forth a big societal impact by improving quality and efficiency of the clinical services in Hong Kong and the surrounding regions.”
中大成立「何敬誠﹒林健忠青光眼治療及研究中心」
推動本港青光眼診治的科研及培訓
香港中文大學（中大）醫學院眼科及視覺科學學系獲林健忠博士及何厚煌博士慷慨捐贈1,500萬港元，成立「何敬誠﹒林健忠青光眼治療及研究中心」，推動本港青光眼診治的科研、培訓及教育。中心將推出先導項目，探究以人工智能應用於青光眼檢測的可能性，期望讓眼科醫生盡早為疑似青光眼個案作出評估，及為青光眼確診個案及早開展治療，以減低因青光眼致盲的機會。
青光眼是香港最常見引致永久失明的眼疾
青光眼泛指視網膜及視神經上的神經細胞永久受損，導致視力下降和視野縮窄的一種眼疾。青光眼是香港最常見的致盲眼疾，約有25%的不可逆轉性失明是由此引起。現時本港估計有約十萬名青光眼患者患有不同程度的視力障礙。
現有的治療只能夠減緩或阻止青光眼進一步惡化，但是已經喪失的視力是無法恢復，因此為高危群組及早診斷，對於預防因青光眼而導致的視力損失尤其重要。
中大醫學院眼科及視覺科學學系系主任譚智勇教授表示：「在過去二十年，中大醫學院眼科及視覺科學學系為改善青光眼診斷及治療一直努力不懈。我們先後發表多項研究成果，包括通過基因研究了解病理基礎、利用先進的影像科技診斷出早期青光眼及監察病情進展、透過全方位的臨床及實驗室研究，探索視網膜神經細胞再生的可能性等。承蒙林健忠博士及何厚煌博士的慷慨捐贈，我們新成立的青光眼治療及研究中心配備最先進的眼科診治及培訓器材和技術，將為醫護人員提供與時並進的進階教育與培訓，以提供世界級的醫療服務予青光眼病人。」
探究將人工智能應用於青光眼檢測
除了提升青光眼治療的配備及水平，「何敬誠﹒林健忠青光眼治療及研究中心」的成立亦有助推動本港及鄰近地區的青光眼科研發展。團隊的其中一個先導項目將探究以人工智能應用於青光眼檢測。
中大醫學院眼科及視覺科學學系副教授張艷蕾博士表示：「光學相干斷層掃描（OCT）廣泛應用於青光眼診斷和治療，亦有可能用作青光眼篩查。然而， OCT圖像需要有經驗的眼科專科醫生作出分析及臨床評估，在現時眼科專家短缺下，利用OCT進行廣泛的青光眼篩查並不合乎成本效益。在過去數年，我們研發了先進的人工智能科技分析OCT圖像以自動檢測多種眼疾的患病風險，包括青光眼。現時，其中一個青光眼的重點研究是將有關人工智能的技術應用在臨床服務上。我們正與香港眼科醫院進行一項先導研究計劃，運用人工智能自動評估疑似患者有青光眼的機率，以加強青光眼的篩查和分流，讓眼科醫生及時評估和治療患者。這能提升香港及周邊地區的臨床服務質素和效率，對社會作出重大的貢獻。」
