EyeWorld Asia-Pacific June 2012 Issue

“I have known Prof. Soekardi Istiantoro for many years in his capacity as a board member for APACRS. Over the years, he contributed a great deal to the advancement of ophthalmology in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific region. It was always a pleasure to spend time with him as in spite of his expert knowledge and skills he was a gentle and humble individual. He will be sorely missed by his many friends in APACRS and we will always remember his contribution. My heart goes out to his family—we share their sorrow and extend our sympathy.” Prof Graham Barrett, MD President, APACRS & Founding President, AUSCRS Chief Medical Editor, EyeWorld Asia-Pacific Consultant Ophthalmologist & Head of Department, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Australia “Prof. Istiantoro was a good friend and colleague, ever-willing to help further the cause of cataract and refractive surgery in the Asia-Pacific and beyond. We will miss him and we send our deepest condolences to his family on his untimely demise.” Dr Ronald Yeoh, MD Secretary, APACRS Board of Officers Medical Director and Senior Consultant, Eye & Retina Surgeons Part-time Senior Consultant, SNEC “I feel so shocked and grief-stricken about the death of Prof. Soekardi. Prof. Soekardi was a famous expert in cataract, and also was our Board member. He has done great contributions to the development of cataract not only in Asia-Pacific region, but also in the whole world. He was erudite and warm-hearted. With his death I lose a good friend and colleague. “Here, on behalf of Chinese ophthalmologists, I want to express profound condolences for his death, and send my deepest sympathy to his family and friends. Following his hopes for ophthalmology, our Chinese ophthalmologists will continue to take part in the affairs of APACRS, and do our best to promote the development of blindness prevention and treatment!” Prof Yao Ke, MD President, Chinese Cataract Society Vice President, Chinese Ophthalmological Society Chief & Professor, Eye Center, Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China “Prof. Istiantoro was a great humanitarian & a pioneer in his field in Jakarta. He took me to meet President Suharto and he sent me my first Indonesian fellow who trained under me in vitreoretina. I have great respect for him and the immense work he has done for the people of Indonesia.” Prof Sundaram Natarajan, MD Chairman & Managing Director, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital Pvt. Ltd., India Regional Managing Editor, EyeWorld Asia-Pacific – India Edition Prof. Istiantoro was a leading light in Asia-Pacific ophthalmology. He was a great friend and colleague and we had done several projects together. He will be missed by many. Condolences to his family.” Prof Ang Chong Lye, MD Chief Executive Officer, Singapore General Hospital Senior Consultant, Vitreo-retinal Service, SNEC “For all the good things that Prof. S. Istiantoro had done in his life, I wish he would rest in peace. My good old friend.” Dr Pannet Pangputhipong, MD Director, Mettapracharak Hospital and Eye Institute, Thailand “I have known Dr. Istiantoro for more than 25 years. An excellent ophthalmologist, a good human being and a visionary for Jakarta Eye Center, Indonesia, and for the Asia-Pacific region. “I have lost a very good friend.” Dr. Abhay Vasavada, MD Iladevi Cataract & IOL Research Centre, Raghudeep Eye Clinic, India “It is so sad to learn of the demise of Prof. Istiantoro. I have known him for 15 years and he has always appeared an affable, ever-smiling individual. He was reserved but sincere. We have lost a good friend and colleague and we will miss his valuable contribution not only to the Board, but also in ophthalmology.” Dr Y.C. Lee, MD Treasurer, APACRS Board of Officers Chairman and Medical Director, Lee Eye Centre, Malaysia “We are truly saddened by the passing of Prof. S. Istiantoro, a stalwart in ophthalmology who had served tirelessly and made significant contributions in the APAO and the APACRS. He was also the founding member of the AAEH, showing us his vision, passion and lifetime of dedication to ophthalmology. Prof. Istiantoro was a great ophthalmologist we respect and admire.” Prof Donald Tan, MD President, Asia Cornea Society & the Cornea Society Board Member, AAEH Medical Director, SNEC Charity Wai Board Member, AAEH & Hon. Secretary, World Association of Eye Hospitals Executive Director, APACRS Secretariat Chief Operating Officer, SNEC “I was deeply saddened by the news about the death of Prof. Istiantoro. I am so very sorry. This must be very difficult for all those who love him so much. Prof. Istiantoro was such a kind soul, who will be greatly missed by all who knew him. I will miss his cheerful smile and good friendship. I last saw him in Jakarta when we actively participated in many activities he and his team organized for the JCIM 2012. I never see any sadness in his eyes. I always admire his success and leadership. Now I think about how much I will miss him. “We will miss Prof. Istiantoro. His departure leaves us with thoughts on the meaning of life. May all the good wishes and blessings be with him and the Istiantoro family during this time and always.” Prof Prin Rojanapongpun, MD Chief, Glaucoma Service & International Affairs, Chulalongkorn University & Hospital, Thailand “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only a very few true friends will leave footprints in your heart. “Prof. Istiantoro was my teacher and became my friend, and a great teacher will never be forgotten. We spent lots of time in many ophthalmology meetings around the world that he attended only if he gave his talks. During those times, he often woke me up at dawn to bring a camera to see the sunrise. He loved photography almost as much as ophthalmology. “He was always ready with words of encouragement and showed concern towards others. He had a great personality and loved to share his experiences. His confidence in me elevated my own work to meet his expectations. Working with Prof. Istiantoro reminded me that a leader makes the people around him more effective and confident, and he was a true leader. His positive attitude and high expectations have inspired many people and will continue to inspire me in my career as an ophthalmologist.” Dr Johan A. Hutauruk, MD President, Indonesia Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery Director, Jakarta Eye Center, Indonesia