Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center and the National Eye Institute: Upholding Innovation to Build a Brighter Future Together

Blinding eye diseases are listed by the World Health Organization as one of the three major diseases affecting the quality of human life. Eye health is closely related to sustainable human development and well-being. Currently, 2.2 billion people worldwide still suffer from vision impairment.The prevention and treatment of eye diseases is a highly concerning issue in every country around the world., and is also a field where major powers such as China and the United States are heavily investing in research and promoting regional and international cooperation.

For many years, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, has been steadfast in its mission to safeguard vision and serve the global health community, actively contributing "Chinese solutions" and "Chinese wisdom" to promote worldwide eye health.

Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, is the only ophthalmology specialty hospital under the administration of the National Health Commission.The only national key laboratory for eye disease prevention and treatment in China, the依托单位 of the only WHO Collaborating Center for Ophthalmology in China, the location of the APAO (Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology) headquarters office, the chairmanship of the AACO (Afro-Asian Council of Ophthalmology), and the location of its Asian office headquarters.Based on the aforementioned platform, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, has long been engaged in international exchange and cooperation in the prevention and treatment of eye diseases with international blindness prevention organizations and ophthalmic institutions from multiple countries, as well as talent cultivation.

From late September to early October 1982, at the invitation of Professor Chen Yaozhen and Professor Mao Wenshu,ORBIS International Flying Eye Hospital Visits China for the First Time, with Guangzhou as the First StopOphthalmology experts from the United States, Australia, Spain, Singapore and other countries carried out surgical demonstrations, academic reports, and consultation and other academic exchange activities during this event.BecomeA Milestone in China's International Cooperation and Exchange in Blindness Prevention.

The National Eye Institute (NEI) is one of the key collaborating institutions of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University. The collaboration between the two parties, which began in the early 1980s, has become an active force in Sino-US medical exchange.After the establishment of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, in 1984, the first director of the center, Professor Mao Wenshu, and others, along with Dr. C. Kupfer, then-director of the U.S. National Eye Institute, conducted multiple visits and negotiations. This led to cooperation between the two institutions in areas such as glaucoma and cataract screening, as well as ophthalmic epidemiological investigations. In a letter to an official at China's Ministry of Health, then-U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Koop noted that ophthalmic collaboration would become another new field in Sino-American medical science and technology cooperation.

The daughter of Professors Chen Yaozhen and Mao WenshuProfessor Chi-Chao Chan, M.D.She is an honorary professor emeritus of the National Eye Institute in the United States and a guest professor at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University. She is also the founder of the "Ocular Disease Pathology-Basic-Clinical Joint Course" for graduate students at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center. She has played an important role as a link and bridge in promoting ophthalmic cooperation and exchange between China and the United States.

December 8th to 10th, 2023 in Hong Kong, ChinaAPVRS-APOIS ConferenceAbove, the organizing committee of the conference specially established"Memorial Forum for Global Ophthalmology Research Collaboration in Honor of Professor Chen Zhizhao"Professors Lin Haotian, Liang Lingyi, Liang Xiaoling, Zeng Junwen, Ding Xiaoyan, Liu Zhenzhen, and other experts from Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, as well as some experts from China, and international ophthalmology experts including Michael F. Chiang, Emily Chew, Wei Li, Gyan Prakash, Kapil Bharti, and S. Natarajan from the NEI, were invited to attend. The forum revisited the valuable history of ophthalmology exchange and cooperation between China and the United States, discussed the cutting-edge progress in international ophthalmology collaboration, and affectionately reviewed the academic spirit and cross-era, cross-border struggles of Professor Chen Yaozhen, Professor Mao Wenshu and their colleague Professor Chen Zhizhao. Their contributions, especially in promoting ophthalmology exchanges between China and the US, were highlighted. Among the discussions, a precious old photo from the "International Ophthalmology Conference" held in 1985 by Professors Chen Yaozhen and Mao Wenshu at Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center (attended by 759 participants, including more than 170 foreign experts from 23 countries and regions), evoked deep emotions and memories. To commemorate Professor Chen Zhizhao's decades-long significant contributions to China-US ophthalmology cooperation, the conference presented her with an award."Honorary Award for Global Collaboration in Ophthalmology and Vision Science Research"。

During the forum,Professor Haotian Lin, Director of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center and President of the Ophthalmology HospitalAndMichael F. Chiang, M.D., Current Director of NEICommunications were held. Professor Michael F. Chiang has long been committed to the integration of biomedical information and ophthalmic clinical diagnosis and treatment. His research areas involve telemedicine and the application of artificial intelligence in eye diseases, among other interdisciplinary directions that cross medicine and engineering. These directions are highly aligned with some key areas of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University. Professor Michael F. Chiang and Professor Lin Haotian reached a consensus on future cooperation between the two institutions in establishing data standards, data sharing, and building high-level research platforms.Both parties jointly look forward to continuing the tradition of Sino-US ophthalmology cooperation and exchange, and achieving more fruitful results through closer collaboration in new fields and on new platforms for the prevention and treatment of eye diseases.

During the forum, Professor Lin Haotian also introduced the history and major achievements of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University to the overseas experts attending the commemorative forum. The overseas experts expressed strong interest in the research direction of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, acknowledged its work in international ophthalmic affairs, and proposed hopes to strengthen exchanges and cooperation with Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center in the future, working together for the prevention and treatment of eye diseases worldwide.

At this conference, a total of 27 teachers and students from Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University participated, among whom 5 served as moderators of various sections of the conference, 23 gave presentations, and 3 young doctors received awards. During the conference, teachers, students, alumni, guest professors, and research partners from Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center took the opportunity to meet, exchange ideas, and strengthen their bonds. On this occasion, Professor Haotian Lin also extended an invitation to alumni at home and abroad, looking forward to celebrating the centennial anniversary of Sun Yat-sen University together next year.