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In memory of Prof. Arthur Siew Ming Lim
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It is with immense sadness that we share with you that one of the visionary leaders and greatest teachers in ophthalmology, Arthur Siew Ming Lim, MD, FRCS, passed away peacefully with his loving family at the age of 80 in Singapore on Aug. 30.
Prof. Lim was elected one of the vice presidents of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology in 1981. He was the APAO president from 1987 to 1989 and secretary-general from 1990 to 2005. Under Prof. Lim’s capable leadership, the APAO saw substantial development. Prof. Lim was honored with the APAO Jose Rizal Medal in 1983 and selected to present the Holmes Lecture in 1987 and the Susruta Lecture in 1993. In recognition of Prof. Lim’s significant contributions to ophthalmology, the APAO established the Arthur Lim Award in 2008 to recognize ophthalmologists who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in the field of ophthalmology and subsequently made substantial improvements in ophthalmic teaching and training in our region.
Prof. Lim was an exemplary leader in ophthalmology with great vision. He was the founding president of the Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. He was also the second vice president of the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis and a member of the International Council of Ophthalmology and the International Ophthalmic Advisory Board. He served as congress president of the XXVI International Congress of Ophthalmology in Singapore in 1990, which was attended by more than 8,000 international delegates.
Locally, Prof. Lim was founding medical director of the Singapore National Eye Centre and the Singapore Eye Research Institute, as well as the inaugural chief of the department of ophthalmology at the National University Hospital and National University of Singapore. He introduced microsurgical techniques and IOL implantation to Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region half a century ago. Prof. Lim devoted his career to developing quality eye care, education and research. He was a mentor to many and an icon to eye surgeons all over the world. As a prolific author and researcher, Prof. Lim published more than 30 books and more than 300 scientific papers. He was one of the best-known authors in ophthalmology in Asia, and his autobiography, From a Doctor’s Diary, was adapted for three one-act plays, collectively known as From Freedom to Love.
Prof. Lim was also well-known for his philanthropic work. His heart went to China in the 1980s, where he led a major movement to control mass cataract blindness. He advocated the use of cataract extraction with IOL implantation to restore patients’ sight and founded the International Intraocular Implant Training Centre Tianjin (which subsequently became the Tianjin Medical University Eye Centre), as well as the Xiamen Eye Centre, in 1986 and 1997, respectively. He received the Friendship Award from the Chinese government in 1996.
Throughout his career, Prof. Lim was bestowed many important honors internationally, including the International President’s Medal of Distinction by the Lions Club International, the World Glaucoma Award by the World Glaucoma Association, the Special Recognition Award by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the Golden Apple Award for the Best Clinical Teacher in Asia and the G.O.H. Naumann Award for Leadership in Global Eye Care by the International Council of Ophthalmology. As an internationally recognized and respected expert, Prof. Lim’s legacy will continue to influence and inspire many younger generations of ophthalmologists.
Prof. Lim is survived by his wife, Poh Geok, his children, Richard, Lynette and Michele, and their immediate family members. Our hearts reach out to Prof. Lim’s wife and his family at this moment of grief.
From strength to strength
As Prof. Lim put it at the Golden Jubilee of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology in 2010, one of the most important functions of the APAO is to organize an annual congress that brings together international delegates from all over the world for fruitful ophthalmic exchange. To this end, the APAO is dedicated to engineering a world-class scientific program at its annual congress. Formation of the Scientific Program Committee of the 30th APAO Congress to be held in Guangzhou, China, on April 1 to 4, 2015, is now complete. To get a full picture of who is on board, please visit 2015.apaophth.org/scientific-program/program-committee/. In addition to featuring the eight APAO named lectures, the 30th APAO Congress will continue to bring novelties to our delegates. We thank all the coordinators for their time and effort.
You are cordially invited to join us at the 30th APAO Congress. If you would like to take part in the scientific program, please note that abstract submission will close Sept. 30. Free papers, posters, videos and instruction courses are all welcomed. Submissions should be made at 2015.apaophth.org/abstract-submission/submission-guidelines/. If you have any inquiries, please contact us at secretariat@apaophth.org.
10th International Symposium of Ophthalmology – Hong Kong
The 2nd Asia-Pacific Glaucoma Congress and the 10th International Symposium of Ophthalmology – Hong Kong will be held on Sept. 26 to 28 in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).
We are honored to have Hugh Taylor, AC, MD, president of the International Council of Ophthalmology, to present the Congress Lecture, “The global issue of vision loss and what we can do about it,” at the Inauguration Ceremony on Friday, Sept. 26, from 17:30 to 19:00, Theatre 1, HKCEC.
You should not miss the Named Lecture on Saturday, Sept. 27, 16:00 to 18:00 in Theatre 2, HKCEC.
The Named Lecture features eight heavyweight speakers, including Makoto Araie, MD, Robert Ritch, MD, Jerry Shields, MD, Paul Mitchell, MD, PhD, John L. Keltner, MD, Narsing A. Rao, MD, Christopher J. Rapuano, MD, and Shigeru Kinoshita, MD, PhD. Their talks will cover the latest developments, knowledge and findings in ophthalmology.
Thirty keynote and plenary lectures in the full range of ophthalmic subspecialties are available throughout the scientific program. It will be an excellent platform for local and international delegates to share new academic findings and observation, as well as expand their professional network with ophthalmic experts and industry professionals from around the world.
All are welcome to the Inauguration Ceremony and the Named Lecture.
Advance registration for the joint congress is open until Sept. 19, and you can register at www.apgc-isohk-2014.org//2014/index.php. Do not miss the opportunity to participate in one of the most important ophthalmic congresses in the Asia-Pacific region!