Webinar - Turning Insights into Action: Advancing Vision Health in Asia Pacific
Date: June 9, 2025
Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM (GMT+8)
APVRS, in partnership with Roche, invites health system stakeholders to join Turning Insights into Action: Advancing Vision Health in Asia Pacific – an expert-led webinar exploring the current state of vision care in Asia Pacific (APAC) and the collective actions needed to improve outcomes for all.
Set against the backdrop of a growing and disproportionate burden of vision impairment in APAC, the webinar will bring together a panel of leading voices in eye health.1 The session will spotlight emerging needs across the APAC region, where an ageing population and rising prevalence of diabetes are contributing to a growing need for proactive eye care and earlier intervention.2-4
Drawing on insights from the APAC Vision Health Survey – an eight-market study of eye health attitudes, behaviours, and experiences across Asia Pacific – the session will bring together medical experts, policymakers, and industry representatives from diverse healthcare settings. They will explore concrete steps to address preventable vision loss and its wide-reaching socio-economic impact. The survey findings have also been widely featured in the media and by intemational organisations, including the World Economic Forum.
To register, please visit: https://events.zoom.us/ev/AhIorFppCJn6kPilkV0tSlxOeXrGL7TfHxJ-ZmkVVA-4lP94V9gV~AhrR1L_ZkAqosNKIdVenvhSLeJzFqZjvw0i1ieGhO_e4p2oMtvCPQ1fY5Q
Learn more about the APAC Vision Health Survey at: https://go.roche.com/apacvisionhealthsurvey
Speaker lineup
Professor Andrew Chang
Vitreoretinal Surgeon and Ophthalmologist, Sydney Eye Hospital, Australia
Secretary-General, Asia Pacific Vitreo-retina Society (APVRS)
Professor Andrew Chang is a vitreoretinal surgeon and ophthalmologist. He holds academic appointments of Conjoint Professor Department of Surgery UNSW and Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Sydney. He is a consultant ophthalmologist and the Head of Ophthalmology at the Sydney Eye Hospital, as well as the Medical Director of Sydney Retina Clinic.
Prof Chang graduated from the University of Sydney Medical School and trained at the Sydney Eye Hospital with fellowships at Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and in the US. He holds a PhD for retinal research conducted in the Universities of California and Sydney.
In Australia, he advises the Department of Health and the TGA and chairs the Sydney Eye Hospital Foundation. His international roles include Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Vitreoretinal Society and Deputy Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology.
Dr Mårten Brelén
Associate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Hong Kong SAR
Dr Mårten E Brelén is an Associate Professor at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He obtained his preclinical medical degree (MA) from Cambridge University where he graduated with 1st Class Honours. His clinical medical degree (BMBCh) was obtained from Oxford University in 2001, and he spent 4 years (2002-2006) in research at the University of Louvain in Belgium which led to the degree of PhD in Biomedical Sciences. Clinically Dr Brelén is fellowship trained at the Bristol Eye Hospital, UK in vitreo-retinal surgery and he is a fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists UK (London).
Dr Brelén is the Lead Coordinator of the clinical fellowship programme for vitreoretinal training and the Director of Pao So Kok Macular Disease Treatment and Research Centre. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Joint Shantou International Eye Centre in Shantou, China.
Datuk Dr Nor Fariza Ngah
Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist, Deputy Director General (Research & Technical Support), Ministry of Health
Malaysia
Datuk Dr Nor Fariza Ngah serves as the Deputy Director General of Health (Research and Technical Support) at the Ministry of Health, Malaysia, a role she has held since 2023. She is an active member of the Medical and Research Ethics Committee (MREC) and the National Safe Surgery Safe Life (SSL) Committee.
As a distinguished Consultant Ophthalmologist with subspeciality in medical retina and uveitis, she previously led the Ophthalmology Service in the country and currently chairs the National Specialist Registrar (NSR) for the Ophthalmology Subcommittee. Her extensive research expertise spans a wide spectrum of ophthalmology, focusing on the treatment of eye diseases and their complications, diagnostics, care for underserved populations, and innovative solutions such as telemedicine and artificial intelligence. She has also played a pivotal role in establishing Malaysia’s National Eye Database and developing national practice guidelines for various eye conditions.
Professor Paisan Ruamviboonsuk
Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Rangsit University, Rajavithi Hospital
Bangkok, Thailand
Professor Paisan Ruamviboonsuk is currently Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology and Chair of the Department of Medical Policy Development and Strategic Planning at Rajavithi Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. He is also a retinal specialist serving in the Centre of Excellence for Vitreous and Retina Diseases at the same hospital.
Since 2012, Prof Ruamviboonsuk has been President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists of Thailand. He is also a member of the American Society of Retina Specialists, a council member of the Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society, and Secretary General of the ASEAN Ophthalmology Society. He was President of the Thai Retina Society from 2009 to 2014.
Prof Ruamviboonsuk is one of the pioneers in the field of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in the Asia-Pacific region. His published work includes studies on diabetic retinopathy imaging and economic impact of AMD.
He received his medical degree from Mahidol University, Thailand, in 1987.
Professor Seung-Young Yu
Professor of Ophthalmology Department, Kyung Hee University Hospital
Seoul, South Korea
Professor Seung-Young Yu is a vitreoretinal surgeon and ophthalmologist and serves as Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology at Kyung Hee University Hospital.
She earned her MD, Master’s, and PhD degrees from Kyung Hee University School of Medicine. She completed a clinical retina fellowship at Kyung Hee University Medical Center and a research fellowship at Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. She was also a visiting scholar at Stanford University’s Byers Eye Institute.
Prof Yu specialises in retinal imaging with clinical interests in AMD, CSC, and diabetic retinopathy. She has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and regularly presents at international conferences.
She is a Council Member and Vice President of the Asia-Pacific Vitreo-retina Society and serves on the boards of the American Society of Retina Specialists and the International Retinal Imaging Society. She received the APAO Achievement Award in 2015 and Distinguished Service Award in 2024.
Ahmed Elhusseiny
Area Head APAC, Roche Pharmaceuticals
Ahmed started his career at the Roche Group in 2013 as a Therapy Area Head for Neuroscience and Rare Diseases. He has been working in the pharmaceutical industry since 1993, and before joining Roche, he held various roles at Novartis. At Roche, he was Head of Commercial, EEMEA Region, where he led the region’s commercial operations, and Head of Integrated Strategies, Pharma International 7, where he contributed to driving forward strategies to improve patient and customer-centricity, before moving into his current role as the Area Head for Roche Pharmaceuticals in APAC. Ahmed holds a BSc in Biology and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from McGill University. He also received an MBA from INSEAD.
Agenda
| Duration | Agenda Item | Participant(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 3 mins | Welcome Remarks | Moderator: Prof Andrew Chang, Australia |
| 15 mins | Keynote: Vision Health in APAC - The Data & The Urgency | Speaker:Dr Mårten Brelén, Hong Kong |
| 70 mins | Panel Discussion with Q&A: Advancing Vision Health for APAC | Moderator: Prof Andrew Chang Panellists:● Dr Mårten Brelén ● Datuk Dr Nor Fariza Ngah, Malaysia ● Prof Paisan Ruamviboonsuk, Thailand ● Prof Seung Young Yu, South Korea ● Ahmed Elhusseiny, Roche Pharmaceuticals |
| 2 mins | Closing Remarks | Moderator: Prof Andrew Chang |
M-SG-00002287 | May 2025
References
- World Health Organization. World Report on Vision. World Health Organization. 2019. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/documents/publications/world-vision-report-accessible.pdf.
- Asian Development Bank. Adapting to aging Asia and the Pacific. Asian Development Bank. https://www.adb.org/what-we-do/topics/social-development/aging-asia.
- Nanditha A, Ma RCW, Ramachandran A, et al. Diabetes in Asia and the Pacific: Implications for the global epidemic. Diabetes Care. 2016;39(3):472-485. doi:10.2337/dc15-1536
- Godman H. Surprising risk factors for vision loss. Harvard Health. February 1, 2024. https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/surprising-risk-factors-for-vision-loss.