Eyes on the Bigger Picture Professor Christopher Leung Kai-shun became Chairperson of Ophthalmology a year ago and it has been go-go-go ever since. Apart from research, clinical, teaching and administrative duties, he has been overseeing a landmark development – the opening of the HKU Eye Centre scheduled for July, which for the first time will provide his Department with a home base for both research and serving people in need. The busy-ness suits him just fine. ‘What interests me most is productivity that enhances research development and patient care,’ he proclaims. Professor Leung came to ophthalmology precisely because of the opportunities to tackle multiple challenges at once. ‘I was attracted to the unique combination of medicine and surgery – you have the challenges of diagnosing complicated eye diseases, the reward of providing medical and surgical interventions to restore vision, and the opportunity to build long-term relationships with patients. When patients are successfully treated, they can enjoy immediate and substantial improvement to their quality of life, which is satisfying. Ophthalmology is a diverse and vibrant specialty,’ he said. His enthusiasm augments a strong track record that includes training in both medicine (MBBS and MD degrees from CUHK) and research (MSc in Molecular Medicine from Imperial College London), a string of research awards, and experience establishing start-up companies to translate new discoveries into clinical applications. He is now leading a young department – established only in 2013 – and is ambitious in his vision for the development of ophthalmology at HKU and generally in Hong Kong. ‘We have a relatively short history compared to other departments, which means there is more potential for growth and the development of our research and ‘I was attracted to the unique combination of medicine and surgery – you have the challenges of diagnosing complicated eye diseases, the reward of providing medical and surgical interventions to restore vision, and the opportunity to build long-term relationships with patients.’ Professor Christopher Leung Kai-shun ↑The Department of Ophthalmology offers eye examination services to the Southern District community via the Eye Examination Scheme. 眼科學系透過「眼科檢 查計劃」為南區居民提 供眼科檢查服務。 FEATURE 14
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