EyeWorld Asia-Pacific September 2020 Issue

NEWS & OPINION 56 EWAP SEPTEMBER 2020 F or most, it will only be a matter of time before vision becomes hazy and blurry as cataracts develop with age. It is therefore not surprising that ophthalmic surgery is one of the most common forms of surgery, as it can help improve the vision and quality of life of patients. The Singapore-based Asia- Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (APACRS) oversees the dynamic development of cataract and refractive surgery in the region. As a niche medical society dealing with ophthalmology, the members of APACRS are all clinicians and professionals involved in cataract and refractive surgery. “Our main mission is the education of our members, as well as the dissemination and promotion of advances in the various fields of anterior segment ophthalmic surgery in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Dr. Ronald Yeoh, immediate Past-President of APACRS. While the Asia-Pacific geographically represents about a quarter of the world, it is home to over half the world’s population. Over the last few decades, rapid development in the region has led APACRS to become a hub for the exchange of ideas and the education of young ophthalmologists. “Prof. Arthur Lim, who founded the association, has guided the association’s ethos to educate and share knowledge,” said Dr. Yeoh, explaining that Prof. Lim had always held to the belief that freely sharing professional knowledge leads to better health outcomes all around, even when some medical practitioners were protective of their knowledge and critical of his approach. “Prof. Lim also encouraged us to go on the world stage. He said that it was not good enough to be top in Asia, we had to be as good as other surgeons in the world,” said Dr. Yeoh. “Today, APACRS has This article was originally posted on the VisitSingapore MICE website (www.visitsingapore.com/mice ) . It has been slightly modified and appears here with permission from the Singapore Tourism Board. APACRS: A Regional Society with a Global Vision