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Singapore National Eye Centre and Duke-NUS announce the prestigious Arthur Lim Professorship in Ophthalmology

Singapore, 20 January 2014 – Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC) and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore (Duke-NUS) today announced the prestigious Arthur Lim Professorship in Ophthalmology at a ceremony to honour the medical visionary, Professor Arthur Lim Siew Meng. SNEC will be donating $2.5 million from the SNEC Health Research Endowment fund, which will attract a potential dollar-for-dollar matching grant from the Ministry of Education through Duke-NUS.

The Professorship will be given to an outstanding clinician and researcher who demostrates academic leadership in medical education and promotes the advancement of new frontiers in medicine - hallmarks that distinguished Professor Lim's illustrious career.

A visionary leader, Professor Lim is noted for his unparalleled vision, foresight and exemplary wisdom. He created an outstanding and globally-renowned eye department and raised the practice of ophthalmology in Singapore to world-class status with the establishment of the SNEC, Singapore Eye Research Institute (SERI), and the Department of Ophthalmology, National University Hospital (NUH) amongst others.

The named Professorship recognizes Professor Lim's lifelong dedication and commitment to developing quality eye care, education and research in Singapore, with far-reaching contributions to the world.

"Professor Lim has left an indelible mark in the history of ophthalmology not only in Singapore but also the region and the world. He gives generously from his heart because of a greater mission and built a great eye centre, one which allows us to go around the world and hold our heads high as professionals," said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources. Minister Balakrishnan was a former Medical Director of the Singapore National Eye Centre who trained in ophthalmology under Professor Lim.

A Founding Father, Leader, Advocate, Teacher, and Mentor, Professor Lim was a pioneer in the early 70s, in recruiting and working with expert surgeons from England, Australia, Japan, Korea and USA, to introduce microsurgical techniques and intracular lens implant technology to the region. Together, they taught thousands of ophthamologists, many of whom have returned to their homelands to operate, to teach, and become leaders in their profession.

Professor Lim has put Singapore on the world map through his many international appointments and collaborations. He was Secretary-General of the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology for 15 years, the second Vice-President of the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis and member of the International Council of Ophthalmology and the International Ophthalmic Advisory Board. He was President of the XXVI International Congress of Ophthalmology held in Singapore in 1990, which was attended by over 8,000 ophthalmologists and delegates. His deep passion and foresight for medicine and clinical research gained him respect from his peers.

"Professor Arthur Lim is an exemplary role model with his distinction in medical accomplishments. With this Professorship, we are confident that the younger generation of clinicians and clinician-scientists will work towards such excellence too - both in service to patients, as well as an inspiration to fellow medical students and doctors with his outstanding values and teachings," said Professor Donald Tan, medical director at SNEC.

Prof. Arthur Lim (middle) with his wife, Prof. Donald Tan (left) and Prof. Wong Tien Yin (right)

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[Source: SNEC & Duke-NUS, Jan 20, 2014]