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Jockey Club supports children’s eye care and microsurgical training to promote ophthalmic healthcare

07/14/2018

With short-sightedness becoming more common amongst local children, and the number of elderly patients suffering from cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration on the rise due to the ageing population trend, there is steadily increasing demand for eye care services in Hong Kong. In response to this, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has provided over HK$78 million support to the ophthalmology team of the Faculty of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) to implement two three-year programmes, namely the CUHK Jockey Club Children’s Eye Care Programme and CUHK Jockey Club Ophthalmic Microsurgical Training Programme. The former includes comprehensive eye examinations for children to detect and prevent eye diseases at an early age, while the latter provides Hong Kong’s first microscopic surgery training platform for ophthalmology offering advanced training facilities for medical professionals to enhance the efficacy and safety of eye surgery.

Officiating guests at the launch ceremony of the CUHK Jockey Club Children’s Eye Care Programme and CUHK Jockey Club Ophthalmic Microsurgical Training Programme today (14 July) included the Club’s Head of Charities (Grant Making – Elderly, Rehabilitation, Medical, Environment & Family) Imelda Chan; Chairman of the Hospital Authority Prof John Leong; and CUHK’s Vice-Chancellor and President Prof Rocky Tuan, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof Francis Chan and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Prof Clement Tham.

Organised in collaboration with schools, the CUHK Jockey Club Children’s Eye Care Programme will provide eye examinations for 30,000 children aged 6-8 years old, so as to detect any eye diseases before their visual system completes its development and provide appropriate treatment, thus reducing the chances of permanent visual impairment. Since late January, some 5,000 children have already completed these eye examinations. In addition, the programme will provide a large amount of data to facilitate genetic research for understanding the influence of genetic and environmental factors in eye diseases. The team will also organise regular education seminars and outreach activities to enhance knowledge about children’s eye healthcare within the community.

The CUHK Jockey Club Ophthalmic Microsurgical Training Programme offers comprehensive microscopic surgical training for local medical professionals to enhance the efficacy and safety of ophthalmic surgery, which requires great precision, and enable better eye care services. The training suite provides simulated training equipment and a wet lab using animal eyes. The target is to train over 100 ophthalmic doctors and healthcare professionals each year.

The Club has long been committed to development of the city’s medical and health services. It has worked closely with CUHK on a number of projects to provide quality medical services and enhance training for local medical professionals, including the CUHK Medical Centre which offers fixed-price treatment packages which benefit local residents, particularly the middle class. In terms of software, the Club has recently launched the Jockey Club Multi-Cancer Prevention Programme to deepen public understanding of obesity-related cancers and raise their awareness of cancer prevention.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club
Founded in 1884, The Hong Kong Jockey Club is a world-class racing club that acts continuously for the betterment of our society. The Club has a unique integrated business model, comprising racing and racecourse entertainment, a membership club, responsible sports wagering and lottery, and charities and community contribution. Through this model, the Club generates economic and social value for the community and supports the Government in combatting illegal gambling. In 2016/17, the Club’s total direct return to the community was HK$30.5 billion. It is Hong Kong's largest single taxpayer, one of the city’s major employers and one of the world's top ten charity donors. The Club is always "riding high together for a better future" with the people of Hong Kong.


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Officiating guests at the CUHK Jockey Club Children’s Eye Care Programme and CUHK Jockey Club Ophthalmic Microsurgical Training Programme launch ceremony include the Club’s Head of Charities (Grant Making – Elderly Rehabilitation, Medical, Environment & Family) Imelda Chan (3rd right); Chairman of the Hospital Authority Prof John Leong (4th left); and CUHK’s Vice-Chancellor and President Prof Rocky Tuan (3rd left), Dean of the Faculty of Medicine Prof Francis Chan (1st right) and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences Prof Clement Tham (1st left).  


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Group photo.


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Officiating guests tour the ophthalmic microsurgery training facilities.


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