Clement C.Y. Tham

Chairman and S.H. Ho Professor of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Hong Kong

What is an interesting or little-known fact about you?

I am a very enthusiastic runner, and cover 6–12 km per day – often with my wife and son. I am not a fast runner, but can comfortably cover longer distances, and I participate in a few charity running events and races each year, including the APAO Fundraising Run. In addition to the direct benefits of running to one’s health, running also allows me to quietly reflect on my life goals and progress, whether in my professional or private lives on a daily basis. Running keeps me focused. To me, running is at least as effective as mindfulness or meditation!

Who is someone in ophthalmology/your subspecialty that you feel has been particularly influential over the past 10 years?

Amongst the many names that pop up in my mind, the first would be Professor Dennis S. C. Lam from Hong Kong. I mention Dennis not just because of all his wonderful achievements in advancing eye care or his important leadership roles in international ophthalmology, but also because of his unwavering commitment towards mentoring innumerable younger ophthalmologists, both local and abroad, throughout the years. I have been immensely privileged to have been one of his mentees too! As my predecessor as Chairman of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), he has firmly established CUHK as one of the leading centers in ophthalmic clinical services, research, training, and education, in the Asia-Pacific region and well beyond.

Another clinician-scientist for whom I have the utmost respect, and is also my important role model, would be Dr. Robert Ritch in New York. Dr. Ritch’s immense contributions towards the fields of angle closure glaucoma, pseudoexfoliation glaucoma, and translational medicine, have been phenomenal. He has co-authored over 1750 medical and scientific papers, book chapters, articles and abstracts. But what really impresses me most is his enthusiasm and commitment to teach and to mentor. He has trained over 160 clinical and research fellows, over 122 international fellows, and more than 150 observers from over 45 countries. I myself am very proud and privileged to have been one of his international fellows in the 1990s.

Where do you predict ophthalmology/your subspecialty will be 10 years from now?

I believe artificial intelligence and big data will revolutionize many medical fields in the coming 10 years, with ophthalmology and my glaucoma subspecialty included. There should also be substantial room for telemedicine and robotics surgery to play larger roles in ophthalmology, especially because ophthalmology is a highly visual specialty. Advancing imaging technologies have also allowed increasingly excellent structural evaluations for eye diseases.

Do you have any personal missions for the next 10 years?

Training and education for the next generation of ophthalmologists and eyecare professionals would be my primary career goal in the coming 10 years. I am hoping to achieve this through my various professional roles and positions, such as being Secretary General of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO), President-elect and subsequently President of Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Society (APGS), and also as Chairman of Ophthalmology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), which has rapidly growing ophthalmic training, service, and research centers throughout Hong Kong and south China. Through top-notch training and educational programs, I believe we can advance the standard of ophthalmic care and eye health in our Asia-Pacific region.