The 16th Hong Kong Optometric Conference

The 16th Hong Kong Optometric Conference (HKOC) was successfully held on 8 November 2018 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with the theme “The Contemporary Role of Optometrists in Primary Care”, attracting hundreds of participants. The HKOC was jointly organized by the School of Optometry, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and the Hong Kong Optometric Association (HKOA). During the conference, 6 distinguished speakers from the USA, Canada, the mainland China and Hong Kong shared their research insights with the participants.

PolyU Education Info Day 2018

The PolyU Education Info Day 2018 was successfully held on PolyU campus on 6 October. The School organized a series of activities including booth exhibition and consultation, info seminars and guided clinic and lab visits, attracting six thousands of visitors. Info Day provides an excellent platform for secondary school students, parents and the public to obtain first-hand information about our undergraduate programmes, admission requirements and career prospects, as well as receive consultations from our academic staff. More photos on Facebook .

OPAA Master Class 2018/2019 Mentorship Programme: Call for Mentees

The OPAA Master Class 2018/2019 Mentorship Programme is now open for student application. This Mentorship Programme is part of the annual signature event organized by the Outstanding PolyU Alumni Association with the aim to provide a platform for students to learn from outstanding PolyU alumni in respect of their invaluable expertise and experience. Please visit here for programme details, and submit application on or before 7 October 2018. (Programme details is accessible by PolyU staff and students only.)

"Evidence-based Myopia Control" Public Talk

Dr Vincent Ng, Associate Consultant Optometrist of our School, has delivered a public talk on “Evidence-based Myopia Control” on 15 Sep on PolyU campus. Dozens of audiences attended the talk and got to know the history of myopia research, the latest development of myopia research, as well as its applications and effectiveness. It is common to find young adults with over 600 degrees of myopia in Hong Kong and the severity of myopia is escalating. In addition to the cost of myopic refractive correction, the myopia-related ocular complications, such as retinal degeneration, peripheral retinal breaks and glaucoma, have raised significant health concerns. In celebration of SO's 40th Anniversary, our school has delivered a public talk on “Evidence-based Myopia Control” that aimed to let the public understand more detail information about myopia control.

Applications for Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (2019/20)

The School is now inviting application for admission to PhD programmes at PolyU via the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) 2019/20. Fellowship Award Upon successful admission to our School's PhD programme via HKPFS, awardees will be offered: Amount of monthly stipend HK$25,100 for the entire normal study period Tuition Scholarship Waiving of tuition fees for the entire normal study period Conference and Research related travel allowance / Conference grant HK$12,600 per year for the entire normal study period Guaranteed hall accommodation 2 years   Eligibility Those who are seeking admission as new full-time PhD students, irrespective of their country of origin and ethnic background, should be eligible to apply. Applicants should demonstrate outstanding qualities of academic performance, research ability / potential, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership abilities. Application Deadline: 1 December 2018 at Hong Kong Time 12:00 (GMT +8 hours) Application Procedures^ To make one initial application to the Research Grants Council (RGC) through the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) Electronic System before the deadline; AND To submit a full application to PolyU via the Web Application System; AND Applicants are required to nominate two academic referees who can comment on their academic performances.   ^The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship application is also regarded as a formal application for PhD admission to the institution. For more information, please refer to PolyU HKPFS page.

Student Award Ceremony 2017/18

The School of Optometry held the Student Award Ceremony 2017/18 on 28 August 2018 to present 17 awards to undergraduate students in recognition of their outstanding academic performance and dedication to serving the community. At the ceremony, Prof. Chi-ho To, Head of School, congratulated all the awardees and thanked all the donors for their generous contributions. With their continuous support, students were able to take part in meaningful learning trips and services, which are beneficial to not only students themselves but the community at large. By the end of the award ceremony, two student representatives, Miss Nicole Chia-ching Chen and Mr Alan Ka-piu Cheung, Year 5 students in optometry shared their delightful experience respectively in Wenzhou Eye Hospital and the Queensland University of Technology in Australia this summer. Our warmest congratulations go to the scholarship and award recipients. More photos at Facebook.   Name of Award/ Scholarship Awardee Essilor Ophthalmic Optics and Dispensing Scholarship Miss CHIANG Ching-Hang FreshKon Award Miss LAW Ka-Yan Greg Wu Best Business Plan Award for Practice Management Miss CHIANG Ching-Hang Miss YU Siu-Fan PolyVision Scholarship for the Best Year 4 Student in BSc (Hons) in Optometry Miss KWOK Tsz-Yan Miss WONG Suei-Cheng Miss WONG Man-Kwan Queenie Yip Scholarship for Overseas Student Exchange Programme Miss WONG Man-Kwan Rotary Club of Kowloon Golden Mile Scholarship for Overseas Student Exchange Programme Miss WONG Ka-Man Skyview Optical Travelling Scholarship for Overseas Student Exchange Programme Miss WONG Suei-Cheng Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Scholarship for Overseas Student Exchange Programme Mr CHEUNG Ka-Piu Miss KWOK Tsz-Yan Carl Zeiss Award for Young Researcher Miss MA Yuen-wuen, Jessica Miss YU Siu-Fan School of Optometry Scholarship for the Best Year 2 Student in BSc (Hons) in Optometry Mr LI Ho-Fai The Optometry (OPT) Centre Scholarship for the Best Year 3 Student in BSc (Hons) in Optometry Mr LAM Tsz-To The Hong Kong Association of Private Practice Optometrists Best Community Project Award Mr CHAN Yat-Tung, Clifford Miss CHAN Yuet-Ling Miss LEUNG Chi-Ko Miss WONG Ka-Man Miss WONG Man-Kwan HOYA Scholarship for the Best Year 4 Student in BSc (Hons) in Optometry Mr CHEUNG Ka-Piu HOYA Excellence in Ophthalmic Optics and Dispensing Scholarship Miss SO Yee-Kiu The Hong Kong Society of Professional Optometrists Prize for the Best Year 1 Student in BSc (Hons) in Optometry Mr LIN Yan-Ki The Hong Kong Society of Professional Optometrists Best Final Year Student Optometrist Award Miss CHIANG Ching-Hang The Hong Kong Society of Professional Optometrists Academic Excellence Award for the Final Year Student in BSc (Hons) in Optometry Miss MA Yuen-wuen, Jessica

White Coat Ceremony 2018

The School of Optometry held the White Coat Ceremony 2018 on 28 August, in which 34 Year 4 students in optometry took the optometric oath to uphold professional ethics and conducts throughout their clinical placement and career. Under the witness of faculty members, mentors and peers, the Year 4 students were conferred white coats by their academic advisors, which signify their entrance into the eye care profession. In his opening remarks, Prof. George Woo, Emeritus Professor and Senior Advisor, reminded students that they should bear the responsibilities of profession and assuming their obligations by using the professional knowledge they have learned to serve the public after wearing the white coat. The White Coat Ceremony has been organized since 2015 which aims to highlight the symbolic importance of the white coat for a clinician. The fourth year optometry students will start their clinical training in future two years after the ceremony. More photos at Facebook.

RGC General Research Fund (GRF/ECS) 2018-2019

The School is pleased to announce that four faculty members as principal investigators have secured funding from the General Research Fund (GRF/ECS). Principal Investigators Co-Investigators Project Title Funding Awarded Dr Chea-su Kee Prof. Yong-ping Zheng (Department of Biomedical Engineering, PolyU, HK) Time course of ocular biometric changes during myopia and hyperopia development in the presence of astigmatism. HK$1,138,717 Dr Bin Lin Prof. Wen-biao Gan (New York University School of Medicine, USA) CD33 inhibition ameliorates chronic neuroinflammation and photoreceptor degeneration in retinitis pigmentosa HK$971,559 Dr Dennis Tse Prof. Samuel Miao-sin Wu (Baylor College of Ophthalmology, USA) Dr Feng Pan Dr Sze Wan Samantha Shan Retinal EGR1 cella in myopia development HK$931,138 Dr Feng Pan N.A. Functional roles of gap junctions and amacrine cells HK$1,199,868

SO 40th Anniversary Public Talk - Evidence-based Myopia Control

In celebration of SO's 40th Anniversary, Dr Vincent Ng will deliver a public talk on “Evidence-based Myopia Control” on 15 September 2018 on PolyU campus. It is common to find young adults with over 600 degrees of myopia in Hong Kong and the severity of myopia is escalating. In addition to the cost of myopic refractive correction, the myopia-related ocular complications, such as retinal degeneration, peripheral retinal breaks and glaucoma, have raised significant health concerns. The talk will introduce the history of myopia research, the latest development of myopia research, as well as its applications and effectiveness. Register Now: https://goo.gl/cT4URM (Programme in Cantonese) Bad Weather Arrangement If typhoon signal no. 8 or above, or a black rainstorm warning is hoisted at 6:30 am or expected to be hoisted before 10 am on the day, the talk will be postponed to 22 September 2018 (Saturday).

Webinar on Myopic Defocus Technologies

The award-winning myopic defocus technologies developed by PolyU School of Optometry are found effective in controlling myopic progression among children. The webinar delivered by Prof. Carly Lam and Prof. Chiho To on these groundbreaking technologies was successfully held on 5 August 2018. If you want to watch the webinar for one more time, you can access the full recorded presentation and the slides here (the session will close on 5 September 2018, 12:00 HKT). We have received many questions from the participants. Please find the frequently asked questions and answers here. If you have further questions regarding this topic, please send us an email. We will be pleased to discuss with you.