When anesthesiologist Cheng from southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality was diagnosed with ocular melanoma, he feared the loss of his sight—and his career. The removal of eyeballs is a common treatment for intraocular tumors, threatening not just his vision but also his ability to continue his life-saving work in the operating room.
However, Dr. Wei Wenbin at Beijing Tongren Hospital offered Cheng new hope. Pioneering partial excision and radiotherapy techniques, Dr. Wei informed Cheng that his eyes could be saved. “Never did I expect to not only have my eyes saved but also continue to save lives in the operating room,” Cheng said.
Beijing Tongren Hospital, a leading unit of the national technical guidance group for blindness prevention and a World Health Organization collaborating center for prevention of blindness, has made significant breakthroughs in recent years. These include offering more accessible treatments for ocular melanoma and advocating for the establishment of an infectious eye disease diagnosis and treatment center in Beijing. This center addresses eye diseases in patients with liver disease, HIV/AIDS, and other infectious diseases.
The hospital also pioneered the creation of a diagnosis and treatment platform for intraocular tumors and established a screening center for pediatric eye tumors. These advancements represent China’s broader efforts in preventing and treating blindness on a larger scale.
Innovations at Beijing Tongren Hospital not only transform the lives of individual patients like Cheng but also signify a significant step forward in global eye health, offering hope and improved vision to many.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
