Bulletin Spring‧Summer 1999

primary eye care. Another major role is to help train eye specialists for the Hospital Authority. It has imported the most advanced technology t o Hong Kong and brought vision or improved vision to many in the local population. Faculty members operate on many parts of the eye: the cornea, limbal ste m cells, the lens, the vitreous humor, and the retina. Eye diseases such as advanced glaucoma and retinal detachment can now be treated effectively. Research on Myopia and Hereditary Eye Diseases Among the many research activities of the department, myopia and genetically-based eye diseases are two of the major foci. Using epidemiological an d animal studies, researchers investigate the causes of myopia among the Chinese as well as its treatment. Myopi a is a condition w i t h many environmental r i s k f a c t o r s as i n d i c a t ed by epidiomological studies showing increases in spectacle-wearers as one moves from the country to the city in mainland China and then to Hong Kong. Anima l studies have shown too that short-sightednes s can be induced through th e manipulation of visual environment. The department w i l l b e testing medicated eye drops for their effectiveness in arresting myopia. Last year the department set up a specialist clinic for genetically- based eye diseases p r o v i d i n g comprehensive eye examinations and treatment to the public. It also performs laboratory work to collect pertinent information on the molecular genetics of such diseases in order to understand them. It has also established joint eye institutes with mainland universities such as Shantou University which w i l l provid e patient care, train up-and-coming eye doctors on the mainland, and engage in collaborative research. Ample Achievements Despite the department's short history of six years, it has something to show for its efforts in academic research. As a result i t has won the support of the World Health Organization and the US National Institute of Health for its epidemiological research. Three years ago it began studying genetically-based eye diseases among th e Chinese in order to fill the gap left by Western medicine and made the first step towards preventing hereditary eye diseases among the Chinese by identifying a number of new mutated genes. The department's basic research includes the study of the protective effect of anti-oxidants on retinal cells and it received a three-year donation from the Industrial Support Fund last year to develop research on testing agents for genetically-based eye (From left) Prof. Joseph C.K. Lee, dean of medicine; Prof. Arthur K. C. Li, vice-chancellor; Dr. Li Ka-shing; and Dr. Zhang Xiang Wei, president of Shantou University at the signing of the collaboration agreement with Shantou University on 14th December 1998 Chinese University Bulletin Spring • Summer 1999 14