Charity Fund of the Readers of Macao Daily News Chairperson Tina Ho Teng Iat said in a speech during yesterday’s contract renewal ceremony that her charity fund has collaborated with the Kiang Wu Charitable Association to launch the “Sight Restoration Programme” since 1995, benefiting a total of 2,133 ophthalmology patient within 31 years, with 2,711 eye surgeries performed.
The renewal ceremony (2026-2028) for the “Sight Restoration Programme” was held at the private Kiang Wu Hospital Dr Henry Y.T. Fok Specialist Medical Centre.
Ho said that over 31 years, the programme which began as a single procedure for cataracts*, has now expanded to cover over 10 types of surgeries, including glaucoma surgery, vitreoretinal microsurgery for retinal detachment** and retinal microsurgery, intraocular drug injection surgery for macular degeneration, and laser treatment for diseases, and subsidises eye disease patients with financial difficulties to receive diagnosis and treatment at the Ophthalmology Department of Kiang Wu Hospital.
Ho pointed out that to date, the Charity Fund of the Macao Daily Readers has allocated over 25.6 million patacas in donations for this project.
The medical subsidiary programme aims to provide timely care for eye disease patients with financial difficulties who require urgent treatment, enabling them to regain self-sufficiency or return to work after recovery, Ho said, adding that, in order to ensure the proper use of funds, each application undergoes verification and approval by the foundation’s staff.
Kiang Wu Charitable Association President Lau Veng Seng said in a speech that the programme has also optimised the funding mechanism by setting a maximum total subsidy per patient and establishing guidelines for the number of specific treatments, such as those for macular degeneration, in order to ensure that every donation benefits more people in need.
Due to advancements in medical technology and inflation, medical costs have increased in recent years so that the foundation’s annual allocation for the project has been raised from 1.5 to 1.8 million patacas, according to the Kiang Wu Charitable Association.
Lau pointed out that the renewal of the agreement marks a new phase of collaboration between the two sides, adding that the Charity Fund of the Macao Daily Readers will allocate 1.8 million patacas annually, complemented by support from the Kiang Wu Charitable Association. Lau also said that Kiang Wu Hospital will provide advanced ophthalmic technology to continue offering surgeries and treatments to eligible residents.
* Cataract is defined as the clouding or opacification of the natural lens of the eye, which lies behind the iris and the pupil. - DeepSeek
** Vitreoretinal microsurgery for retinal detachment is a specialised, high-precision surgical procedure performed by a vitreoretinal surgeon to repair a detached retina – a serious condition where the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (the retina) separates from its underlying supportive layer. –DeepSeek
Charity Fund of the Readers of Macao Daily News Chairperson Ho Teng Iat addresses yesterday’s contract renewal ceremony for the “Sight Restoration Programme” at the Kiang Wu Hospital Dr Henry Y.T. Fok Specialist Medical Centre. – Photos: Ida Cheong
Charity Fund of the Readers of Macao Daily News Chairperson Ho Teng Iat (sixth from right, standing), Kiang Wu Charitable Association President Lau Veng Seng (sixth from left, standing) and other attendees pose for a group photo during yesterday’s contract renewal ceremony for the “Sight Restoration Programme” at the Kiang Wu Hospital Dr Henry Y.T. Fok Specialist Medical Centre.
