Newsletter No. 140

2 No. 140 4th February 1999 CUHK Newsletter New Head of Department Aims to Make Hong Kong See Better Prof. Dennis Lam P rof. Dennis Lam, new head of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, may look familiar to many people due to the f r e q u e nt a p p e a r a n ce o f h is bespectacled face in the media. This is something he can't help, being s ome o ne wh o se b u s i n e ss is something extremely close to home. O f all our senses, sight is perhaps most deeply rooted in our sense of being and how we interpret the world. With industrialization and the birth of cities, visual communication in such forms as film, television, neon signs, and window displays was given even greater precedence over sound, smell, taste, and touch. The overriding importance we give to sight is reflected even in language. We say 'the way we see' or 'the way we look at' the world when we mean the way we 'think' of the world; we say 'I see' when we mean 'I understand'. Yet most of us take our sight for granted. Often it is only when something comes in the way of seeing that we realize its importance in our lives. Ophthalmology, the scientific study of the eye and its diseases, is a subject with tremendous potential for development. The department, established in 1993 under Prof. Mark O.M. Tso in response to a need to develop ophthalmology into a specialty, is relatively young. Prof. Lam, its second chairman to date, pointed out, 'vision has an important status in the information age —over 90 per cent of the information that goes to our brain does so through vision.' Ophthalmology is also technology-driven, relying heavily on equipment for tests, eye examinations, surgery, etc. The many advances in equipment technology in recent years means that a lot more can be done in the field. Social demand is also on the rise. 'We all live longer now and one of the things that go wrong often is our eyes. The population is ageing. Moreover, there are many medical conditions which affect our eyes, e.g., diabetes,' said Prof. Lam. The department's two most important areas of research are myopia and the molecular genetics of eye diseases. Myopia or shortsightedness is a condition with many environmental risk factors. This can be seen by its variation in prevalence among places with the same genetic pool. For example, epidemiological studies have shown that the percentage of the population in glasses increases as one moves from the country in mainland China to the cities, and then to Hong Kong. Animal studies have also shown that shortsightedness can be induced through the manipulation of visual environment. The department is studying the causes a nd t r e a t m e nt o f m y o p i a t h r o u gh epidemiological and animal studies. It w i ll conduct surveys on the prevalence of myopia in Hong Kong and mainland China; it is also developing a new animal model for the animal studies. As to what (unfortunate) animal that will be, Prof. Lam said, it cannot be revealed. In any case the study will examine the effect of environmental factors on myopia such as light and darkness, or user abuse theory by, to use two simplified examples, putting rhinos in rooms with only a TV and nothing else for a period of time so that all they can do is eat and watch TV, or making armadillos wear glasses with only one prescription lens, and then comparing these animals with others used as control. As regards treatment, experiments on certain medicated eye drop w i l l be performed to see if it can arrest the progression of myopia. Many eye diseases are genetically-based. It is only by understanding the defective gene mutations behind them that the related functional problems can be effectively dealt with. Yet genetic mutations of eye disease may be different between Chinese and Westerners. Prof. Lam pointed out that squinting, for example, tend to be convergent among Westerners and divergent among the Chinese. There is also a higher incidence of myopia among the Chinese, indicating different genetic makeup. 'The first step in molecular genetic research is to identify the defective gene. The next question is why is there this illness when there is this gene? There must be a linkage in the form of a defective protein or enzyme that is determined by the disease- causing gene. I f we can identify the defective protein/enzyme, we can have supplement or replacement genetic reengineering,' Prof. Lam said. In Hong Kong, where the prevalence of myopia in the student population is one of the highest in the world, the use of traditional and laser surgery to correct the condition is gaining popularity. One often hears models and beauty queens o o h i ng and aahing over their miraculous effects, and understandably so since nothing — definitely not the clumsiness of prescription glasses and not even the subtle contrivance of the contact lens 一 comes close to having naturally perfect vision. Yet there is also much skepticism over their risks, the skill of the doctor performing the operation, the high costs involved, etc. Prof. Lam is probably the man to ask in Hong Kong about these operations. He said, ' A l l procedures carry risks and limitations. These operations differ from other eye operations in that they have good substitutes. I f a patient with cataract is not operated upon in time, the cataract w i ll block his/her vision, or if operation comes late to a patient with retinal detachment, his/her vision will be similar to overexposed images even if the retina is reattached. For these eye operations, the patient does not have any choice. But for myopia, the patient does have a choice. For this reason the considerations and expectations of safety and efficacy are particularly high for both doctors and patients in such operations.' To date there are mainly four kinds of my o p ia ope r a t i on: (1) RK or Ra d i al Keratotomy; (2) PRK or Photo Reflective Keratoplasty; (3) LAS IK or Laser-assisted in- situ Keratomileusis; and (4) clear lens extraction/intraocular lens implantation. Both RK, belonging to the first generation of myopia operation, and PRK, the second generation, are suited for shortsightedness of up to 600 degrees. L A S I K , the t h i rd generation, is state-of-the-art and is suited for shortsightedness of over 600 degrees. Patients with shortsightedness of over 1,200 degrees should consider clear lens extraction/ intraocular lens implantation which involves the replacement of the lens with a crystal. As laser technology is making fast improvements, better technology may be in store for those who opt to wait. The department w i ll continue to train medical students from The Chinese University and the University of Hong Kong in primary eye care, and train eye specialists for the Hospital Authority. Recently it participated in the establishment ofjoint eye institutes with mainland universities such as Shantou University and Peking University. The institutes w i l l provide patient care, and training and education programmes for up and coming eye doctors on the mainland, and engage in collaborative research between Hong Kong and the mainland. Prof. Lam indicated that if resources permit, more such joint eye centres will be set up. The department w i ll also continue to conduct patient care research with the aim of 'helping the greatest number of patients at the best possible level within given settings'. Besides it w i ll carry on its good work in helping the official p u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e C o l l e g e o f Ophthalmologists of Hong Kong become an eye journal of international standard. 'The department is full of hope and confidence that ophthalmology and visual sciences w i l l develop even more rapidly in the future,' said Prof. Lam. Piera Chen CSC/ ITSU Seminars on Technology for Teaching and Learning To provide teaching staff members with a better understanding of technology for teaching and learning currently provided by the Computer Services Centre/Information Technology Service Unit (CSC/ITSU), a series of seminars and workshops have been organized to take place in February. Classroom Presentation Technology Primer Interested in enhancing your classroom lectures? This session illustrates and discusses the selection of hardware and software, and design strategies for creating effective computer presentations. Classroom Presentations Microsoft PowerPoint 97 is a powerful presentation tool. Try using its key features in preparing computer-enhanced lecture presentations. World Wide Web Search Strategies Don't know how to search the web? Search results not useful? This session gives you practical means for using popular search engines to find what you need. From the Classroom to the Web Learn how to convert your PowerPoint or presentation slide shows quickly to web pages for your students. Participants learn to adapt an existing PowerPoint slide show for use on the web. Resizing and resolution issues, along with content decisions, are discussed. (Prerequisite: experience creating presentations using PowerPoint.) Optimizing Web Images Using Macromedia Fireworks Is your web page loading as fast as it can? Learn how to optimize your existing images for greater performance. This session explores Macromedia's new web design application, Fireworks. Creating Web Animations Using Macromedia Flash and Fireworks Want to make your web page more interesting? Want to enliven and clarify complex concepts for your students? Using Macromedia Flash and Fireworks you can make both vector and bitmap animations with ease. Please register online at http://www.cuhk.edu.hk/csc/leaming/workshops and direct enquires to the following staff: Registration matters: Ms. Sara Chung 2609 8801 sara-chung@cuhk.edu.hk Seminars: Ms. Wendy Chan 2609 8881 wendychan@cuhk.edu.hk Ms. Eva Cheung 2609 8913 eva-cheung@cuhk.edu.hk Learning Technology. Mr. Stanley Yuen 2609 8905 stanley-yuen@cuhk.edu.hk Mr. Augustine Lo 2609 8837 augustine@cuhk.edu.hk Schedule for the seminars Code Description Type of Event Date Time Venue Language 3E Classroom Presentation Technology Primer Seminar 6th Feb. 9.30 a.m.- 10.30 a.m. Room 120, Pi Ch'iu Bldg. English 4E Classroom Presentations Hands-on 6th Feb. 11.00 a.m. — noon Room 104, Pi Ch'iu Bldg. English 5C World Wide Web Search Strategies Seminar 9th Feb. 12.45 p.m. — 1.45 p.m. Room 120, Pi Ch'iu Bldg. Cantonese 5E World Wide Web Search Strategies Seminar 13th Feb. 9.30 a.m. - 10.30 a.m. Room 120, Pi Ch'iu Bldg. English 6C From the Classroom to the Web Seminar 10th Feb. 12.45 p.m. -2.15 p.m. Room 120, Pi Ch'iu Bldg. Cantonese 6E From the Classroom to the Web Seminar 13th Feb. 11.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m. Room 120, Pi Ch'iu Bldg. English 7C Optimizing Web Images Using Macromedia Fireworks Seminar 23rd Feb. 12.45 p.m. — 1.45 p.m. Room 120, Pi Ch'iu Bldg. Cantonese 7E Optimizing Web Images Using Macromedia Fireworks Seminar 27th Feb. 9.30 a.m.- 10.30 a.m. Room 120, Pi Ch'iu Bldg. English 8C Creating Web Animations Using Macromedia Flash and Fireworks Seminar 24th Feb. 12.45 p.m. — 1.45 p.m. Room 120, Pi Ch'iu Bldg. Cantonese 8E Creating Web Animations Using Macromedia Flash and Fireworks Seminar 27th Feb. 1 1 . 0 0 a . m . —noon Room 120, Pi Ch'iu Bldg. English