RCSV-SO Joint Distinguished Lecture

RCSV-SO Joint Distinguished Lecture - “How the Baby Learns to See: Critical Periods Re-visited” was held on 20 April 2022. We were excited to see around 280 optometrists, practitioners, academic staff and students from 14 countries and regions participate in the lecture. Distinguished lecturer, Prof. Daphne Maurer, is a Distinguished University Professor from McMaster University in Canada. She generously shared her knowledge and research findings with the audience. The lecture was moderated by Dr Kee Chea-su, Associate Director of Research Centre for SHARP Vision; Associate Head and Associate Professor of School of Optometry, PolyU. Newborns have minimal vision, but they are already learning to see. By using the natural experiment result, Prof. Maurer explained that children born with dense cataracts could see after the surgery of removing cataracts in infancy and given compensatory contact lenses. She highlighted that early-stage vision is critical. Once it is missed, it could cause deficits such as acuity vision and face processing. Perceptual development is driven by visual experience and perturbed by imbalances between the eyes or between the senses. Prof. Maurer finally shared that a 40-hour specialized intervention helped improve the visual acuity of some adults with visual deficits. The lecture ended with stimulating questions, fruitful discussions and interaction between Prof. Maurer and the participants in the Q&A session. The audience found the lecture enlightening.

Optometry Alumnus receives the FHSS Outstanding Alumni Award

Congratulations to optometry alumnus Prof. Susana Chung who received the “Outstanding Alumni Award of PolyU Faculty of Health and Social Sciences 2022” in recognition of her remarkable academic achievements and invaluable contributions. Prof. Chung is also the awardee of the Outstanding Alumni Award in Scholarly Achievement of PolyU School of Optometry 2022.  

PolyU Research Postgraduate Summer School 2022

PolyU is organizing a Research Postgraduate Summer School from 13 July to 27 July 2022.  The Summer School not only serves as a PhD tasting programme for the participants to experience wide elements of research studies but also provides them with an opportunity to get familiar with the support that PolyU will offer. During the Summer School, students will have opportunities to meet professors and researchers, attend workshops to learn different research-related skills, interact with students and alumni for experience sharing, and prepare their research proposal for presentation at the end of the Summer School. Excellent potential candidates will be given a conditional offer of admission with the support of various scholarships including the PolyU Presidential PhD Fellowship Scheme (PPPFS). Successful applicants will be awarded a HK$5,000 Summer School Scholarship upon the completion of the Summer School programme. Register Now! The application [click HERE] is open from 15 March to 18 April 2022.  For further information, please visit https://www.polyu.edu.hk/gs/news-and-events/rpg-summer-school/. 

Precautionary Measures against the COVID-19 Disease in Optometry Clinic and Community Eye Care Centres

In view of the pandemic situation, the School of Optometry has tightened its precautionary measures in the Optometry Clinic on PolyU campus, the Sik Sik Yuen – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Optometry Centre (Wong Tai Sin Teaching and Learning Centre), and the Integrative Community Health Centre (Lai King) with effect from 5 March 2022 (Saturday) for protecting the health of patients: All staff members working in the above-mentioned venues are required to be tested negative for COVID-19 disease by rapid antigen test every morning before they can come to work. All the above-mentioned venues are disinfected by diluted household bleach every day.   (中文版通告)

Temporary Change of Service Hours of PolyU Optometry Clinic

Due to the current evolving pandemic situation, the PolyU Optometry Clinic will have early closure at 5:00pm from 1 to 31 March 2022. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused. 

Temporary Closure of Integrative Community Health Center in Lai King

Integrative Community Health Center in Lai King received a report that a staff was tested positive for COVID-19 on 25 February. The Centre will be closed from 28 February to 5 March 2022 for conducting thorough disinfection and cleaning. The Centre will resume service on 7 March, tentatively. The School has also notified our staff, students and patients who might have close contact with the confirmed case. Patients who are asymptomatic but have concerns about the risk of infection or their health condition, may consider undergoing a COVID-19 test.  Our staff will contact the affected patients as soon as possible for appointment rescheduling. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. (中文版通告)

Temporary Closure of Sik Sik Yuen – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Optometry Centre (Wong Tai Sin Teaching and Learning Centre)

The Sik Sik Yuen – The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Optometry Centre (Wong Tai Sin Teaching and Learning Centre) received a report that a staff was tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19 on 25 February. The last visit of the staff to the Centre was on 24 February.  The Centre will be closed from 25 February to 5 March 2022 for conducting thorough disinfection and cleaning. The Centre will resume service on 7 March, tentatively. The School has also notified our staff, students and patients who might have close contact with the confirmed case. Patients who are asymptomatic but have concerns about the risk of infection or their health condition, may consider undergoing a COVID-19 test.  Our staff will contact the affected patients as soon as possible for appointment rescheduling. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. (中文版通告)

Temporary Closure of The PolyU Optometry Clinic

The Optometry Clinic of PolyU received report that a staff and a student was tested preliminarily positive for COVID-19 on 23 February. Their last visit in the Optometry Clinic was on 21 February.  The Clinic will be closed on 23 February afternoon & 24 February 2022 for conducting thorough disinfection and cleaning. The Clinic will resume service on 25 February, tentatively. The School has also notified our staff, students and patients who might have close contact with the confirmed case. Patients who are asymptomatic but have concerns about the risk of infection or their health condition, may consider undergoing a COVID-19 test.  Our staff will contact the affected patients as soon as possible for appointment rescheduling. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. (中文版通告)

Dr Patrick Ting awarded Fellowship by Higher Education Academy

Dr Patrick Ting, Clinical Associate, has been awarded a Higher Education Academy Fellowship (FHEA) – an internationally recognised badge of professional success in Higher Education. The Higher Education Academy (HEA, now Advance HE) champions teaching excellence in higher education and the fellowships provide individuals with recognition of their practice, impact and leadership of teaching and learning.

Dr Jessica Neuville bestowed with the Faculty Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching 2021

Congratulations to Dr Jessica Neuville, Clinical Associate of the School, who was recently bestowed with the Faculty Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Teaching (Individual) 2021, for her outstanding teaching performance and significant contribution to optometry teaching and learning enhancement. Dr Neuville joined the School in 2015 as a part-time Clinical Associate and continued to contribute in a full-time role in 2020. She has demonstrated dedication to high-quality teaching and the development of new pedagogies. She played key roles in developing the first Massive Open Online Course of the School and other digitalized interactive teaching projects. These projects were well received by PolyU students and learners from around the world.  Dr Neuville’s teaching extends beyond the classroom to the clinical setting. She won the Best Clinical Case Presentation Award at the Hong Kong Primary Care Conference 2021. Not only did she receive students’ appreciation for clinical supervision, but she was also invited to present her clinical teaching projects and strategies adopted at the annual American Academy of Optometry Conference and the international educator forums.  Dr Neuville is also the recipient of the School of Optometry Teaching Excellence Award 2020/21.