Sankara Eye Hospital, India and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) recently signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to revolutionise paediatric eye care and myopia treatment, marking a major step forward in clinical collaboration, research and education. Researchers from India and Hong Kong commit to collaborate to reduce childhood blindness.
This historic international alliance focuses on innovating technological approaches to delay the progression and prevent the onset of refractive errors, especially myopia, while also targeting complex challenges surrounding retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and ocular tumours.
Underlining the importance of the collaboration, Prof. Clement Tham, Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, CUHK shared, “This MoU between CUHK Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences and Sankara Eye Hospital reflects our shared commitment to advancing world-class ophthalmic research and education. We believe this international collaboration will foster innovation and deliver meaningful benefits to patients and communities globally.”
This international alliance focuses on innovating approaches to delay the progression and prevent the onset of refractive errors, especially myopia. It also targets complex challenges surrounding retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) and ocular tumours.
Dr Divya Caculo, Consultant Pediatric Ophthalmologist, Sankara Eye Hospital, Bengaluru highlighted “Fortunately, recent ophthalmic developments are transforming care. Evidence-based myopia frameworks, such as low-dose atropine therapy and specialized optical designs, are actively slowing near-sightedness in children. Genetic testing facilitates precise profiling of inherited retinal disorders, while wide-field retinal imaging paired with advanced anti-VEGF therapies has revolutionised ROP treatment for premature infants. I view AI-enabled screening tools as a foundational paradigm shift, allowing clinicians to map and detect disorders at vastly earlier stages to bridge accessibility gaps in underserved communities.”
This pioneering international alliance has a focus to drive accelerate technology-driven clinical applications and foster educational exchanges that will profoundly impact the diagnosis and management of these conditions and the overall well-being of children worldwide.
