Tai Xue Ophthalmology Group: The First JCI-Accredited Eye Care Provider Across the Taiwan Strait with Over 200,000 Surgeries Files for IPO

“The Great Learning” opens with the statement: “The way of great learning lies in manifesting one’s illustrious virtue, in renewing the people, and in resting in the highest excellence.” This means that the teachings of great learning aim to bring forth the bright and virtuous nature inherent in each individual, extend this influence to others so that all may cleanse themselves of impurities and achieve self-renewal, and continually strive for perfection, attaining and maintaining the utmost state of moral completeness.

This statement, referred to by later Confucian scholars as the “Three Guidelines,” became the founding mission of Universal Eye Center (known in Taiwan as University Eye Center).

Universal Eye Center Group was founded in 1992, originating from the Taiwan-listed ophthalmology group “University Eye Clinic.” In 2017, it formed a joint venture with Zhejiang Dian Holdings, a highly influential health industry group in mainland China. Guided by the core philosophy of “medicine as the foundation, optics as the application, and aesthetics as the principle,” the group is committed to introducing Taiwanese ophthalmic technological advancements to mainland China. It has established medical services imbued with Taiwanese humanistic values and joint outpatient clinics staffed by renowned mainland Chinese ophthalmology experts, thereby jointly promoting the development of the ophthalmology sector across both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Universal Eye Center currently operates 22 ophthalmology chain centers, 50 optical retail stores, and five medical aesthetics centers in Taiwan, China. It also offers its self-developed lutein-based eye care product line. In mainland cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, Xiaoshan, Suzhou, Ningbo, Yiwu, and Hengdian, the company has established nine ophthalmology chain institutions and formed strategic partnerships with Shanghai Ruidong Hospital, Suzhou BenQ Hospital, and Ningbo No. 1 Hospital.

With over two decades in the industry, how has Universal Eye Center maintained its robust vitality? How will it adapt to the demands of the times and solidify its leading position? Addressing these questions, a VCBeat reporter interviewed Mr. Lu Zhenghong, Managing Director of Universal Eye Center Group.

Universal Eye Center: On-Site Photos (Images Provided by Interviewee)

Universal Eye Center was co-founded by two renowned ophthalmologists from Taiwan, Dr. Pi-Rong Lin and Dr. Shu-Fang Ou. Through their pioneering efforts, they successfully transitioned from practicing ophthalmologists to executives of a publicly listed company. According to Zhenghong Lu, the founders’ enduring creed has always been that delivering service from the customer’s perspective is the key to providing consumers with the highest quality of care.

Currently, Universal Eye Center has assembled a professional team comprising medical professors and physicians, industry-specific professional managers, R&D personnel from the IT sector, and financial management experts, boasting extensive R&D experience and channel management capabilities. Universal Eye Center has also established a partnership with the Innovation and Incubation Center at National Taiwan University, employing nearly 800 staff members, including over 100 ophthalmologists, across both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

The eyes are the most important sensory organs in the human body. However, in recent years, the prevalence of age-related eye diseases has increased in China, problems such as refractive errors among adolescents have become increasingly prominent, and the issue of blindness caused by cataracts among the impoverished rural population has not yet been fully resolved. The total shortage, suboptimal quality, and uneven distribution of ophthalmic medical resources remain persistent challenges. Primary eye care services still need to be strengthened, and public awareness of healthy practices for eye protection must be further reinforced. Consequently, the prevention and control of eye diseases in China remains a formidable task.

Universal Eye Center is committed to building a leading professional ophthalmology brand in China, specializing in femtosecond laser surgery for myopia and presbyopia, femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery for presbyopia, myopia control in children and adolescents, dry eye SPA therapy, and medical optometry with prescription eyewear. Adopting a vertically integrated service model, it provides comprehensive vision health care covering the entire life cycle.

Universal Eye Center offers tailored services for patients across different age groups. For children under the age of six, it provides general pediatric vision care and treatment. For elderly patients aged 50 and above, it offers treatments such as presbyopia-correcting intraocular lens implantation, phacoemulsification, and blade-free femtosecond laser cataract surgery, based on their specific conditions.

It is worth mentioning that the Universal Eye Center in Hangzhou has employed the VERION Image-Guided System to guide bladeless femtosecond laser LenSx cataract surgery, marking a significant leap into the intelligent era of cataract procedures and ushering in a new age of bladeless surgery. Lu Zhenghong stated that this procedure was personally performed by Dr. Lin Pi-Rong, President of Universal Eye Center, thereby providing cataract patients with a high-standard surgical option.

As a pioneer in introducing laser refractive surgery for myopia to Taiwan, Universal Eye Center is also the first specialized ophthalmic institution across Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan to achieve “JCI International Healthcare Accreditation.” JCI (Joint Commission International) is a U.S.-based healthcare accreditation organization and an authoritative body endorsed by the World Health Organization for evaluating hospital quality, with the aim of ensuring patient safety and the quality of medical care services. To date, Universal Eye Center has performed over 200,000 surgical procedures, the highest volume in Taiwan.

According to Lu Zhenghong, the business of Universal Eye Center is not limited to the medical field; it also strives for continuous improvement in teaching and scientific research. In addition to general ophthalmology, Universal Eye Center has developed six subspecialties: cataracts, refractive laser surgery, strabismus and amblyopia, orthokeratology, oculoplastic surgery, and retina. Each subspecialty is led by a specialized convenor responsible for teaching, research, and medical services.

A satellite-tiered service network is another distinctive feature of Universal Eye Center. A hub-and-spoke service system aptly describes the relationship between Universal Eye Center and its optical retail stores. With the Universal Eye Center Surgical Center as the core, the network radiates to various ophthalmology outpatient clinics and further connects to individual optical retail outlets. The core competency of Universal Eye Center (the hub) lies in ophthalmic medical services, while the core competency of Universal Optical stores (the spokes) is providing vision correction services that integrate aesthetics and fashion. These two entities maintain a close relationship, serving jointly as an extension of customer services and a channel for regional marketing.

Universal Eye Center is committed to integrating the upstream and downstream segments of the vision health industry, connecting upstream suppliers of instruments, pharmaceuticals, consumables, and optical products with downstream medical institutions, medical aesthetics providers, and eyewear distribution channels, thereby achieving “intra-industry collaboration and cross-industry alliances.” Furthermore, Universal Eye Center adopts a physician partnership model, providing SOP-based services such as facility space, decoration, pre-service training for administrative and nursing staff, as well as equipment provision and technology transfer. This “turnkey solution” approach reduces clinic establishment costs, allowing physicians to focus squarely on the core essence of medical practice.

Currently, Universal Eye Center has successively signed cooperation agreements with Wenzhou Medical College and Tianjin Eye Hospital. Under the agreements, Universal Eye Center and Wenzhou Medical College will implement the practical application of new technologies and theories in ophthalmology and laser medicine across the two sides of the Taiwan Strait through diversified models of collaboration. The more than 200 ophthalmologists trained annually by Wenzhou Medical College can serve as a talent pool for Universal Eye Center’s expansion into the mainland market. Furthermore, Universal Eye Center will collaborate with Tianjin Eye Hospital on visual science research to further advance the development of ophthalmology, and conduct engineering research on amblyopia, strabismus, and refractive errors, thereby safeguarding the visual health of people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Lu Zhenghong told VCBeat that this collaboration marks a significant milestone in the joint cooperation and development of ophthalmology across the Taiwan Strait, playing a vital role in facilitating academic and clinical experience exchange and sharing of strengths in the field of ophthalmic medicine.

Lu Zhenghong also mentioned that Universal Eye Center aims to establish its foothold in Zhejiang Province and the Yangtze River Delta region, with Hangzhou as the starting point for continuous expansion. In the future, it will build a mid-to-high-end chain of ophthalmic institutions featuring Taiwanese humanistic style, jointly promoting the development of the ophthalmology sector on both sides of the Taiwan Strait.