The Wansong Ophthalmology Alliance steps up its efforts: Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital joins forces with charitable organisations to help patients in Miao villages see the world clearly again

In response to the ‘Healthy China’ initiative, to thoroughly implement the medical assistance policies under the Guangdong-Guizhou cooperation scheme, and to support the development of ‘Healthy Songtao’, Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital, guided by Party-building efforts, has actively pursued its mission to ‘ensure that everyone, regardless of wealth, has the right to eye health’, and has proactively integrated itself into the broader context of East-West cooperation and rural revitalisation.

In May, facilitated by the East-West cooperation mechanism, the “Love and Light” cataract treatment project—jointly organised by Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital, Hong Kong Sunrise Charitable Foundation Limited and Songtao Miao Autonomous County People’s Hospital—progressed smoothly. The first group of cataract patients from disadvantaged families have successfully undergone surgery and been discharged after making a full recovery.

Cataracts are a common eye condition that significantly impacts the quality of life among the elderly, and they represent a pressing eye health concern for people in rural communities. The ‘Journey of Love and Light’ project is a heart-warming initiative that combines Guangdong-Guizhou cooperation with charitable efforts and ophthalmic care to benefit the public.

To ensure the project is implemented to the highest standards, Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital has placed great emphasis on it. Led by Deng Jiangwen, Assistant to the Director and Head of the Glaucoma Department, and Tan Yongchang, Director of the Cataract Department, led a highly capable medical team comprising Attending Physician Liu Fan, Operating Theatre Nurse Manager Zhang Shasha, and Inpatient Nurse Long Minhui. Working in close collaboration with the ophthalmology team at Songtao Miao Autonomous County People’s Hospital, they ensured standardised diagnostic and treatment procedures, expert surgical techniques, and rigorous safety and quality control to safeguard the journey to sight for every patient.

手术现场

On 9 May, the first batch of 37 patients who met the surgical criteria successfully underwent cataract surgery. The team of specialists from Dongguan Aier worked closely with local ophthalmic medical staff, demonstrating the tangible results of the ‘Dongguan-Songjiang Ophthalmology Alliance’ in terms of technical support and teamwork.

10 May coincided with Mother’s Day. At the unveiling ceremony, 74-year-old Grandma Wu’s eyes welled up with tears as she removed the bandage: “Everything used to look blurry before, but as soon as the bandage came off today, I could see clearly even from a distance. I thank the Party and the government, and I thank the kind-hearted people who helped me get my eyes treated without spending a single penny.” The world that had been blurred for so long suddenly became clear and bright before her eyes; she clutched her son, Mr Long’s, hand tightly, reluctant to let go for a long time.

Watching his mother’s smile return, Mr Long smiled himself, though his eyes welled up with tears: “My mother has had a hard life; she never treated herself to food or clothes, and would never mention it when she was ill. I am particularly grateful to the Hong Kong Rising Sun Charity Foundation, the specialists at Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital, and the County People’s Hospital for making this free surgery possible. It used to break my heart to see her feeling her way as she walked. Now that she can see clearly again, this is the best Mother’s Day gift I could ever give her.”

揭纱现场

Mr Luo Yunfeng and his delegation from the Hong Kong Rising Sun Charitable Foundation Limited attended the unveiling ceremony in person to witness the heart-warming moment when patients regained their sight. He remarked, “Through the bridge of East-West cooperation, we are able to precisely address the needs of the people of Songtao. Seeing the elderly smile and see the world clearly once again is the finest reward for all those who have shown compassion.” Subsequently, on behalf of the Hong Kong Rising Sun Charitable Foundation, Mr Luo Yunfeng distributed transport and accommodation subsidies to patients who had recovered and were being discharged, delivering care and warmth straight to the hearts of the community.

Since the establishment of the “Dongguan-Songtao Ophthalmology Alliance” in December 2024 between Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital and Songtao Miao Autonomous County People’s Hospital, and with the strong support of the Dongguan Municipal Party Committee, Municipal Government and Municipal Health Bureau, the hospital has consistently prioritised Party-building as its guiding principle. It has brought high-quality ophthalmic medical resources to grassroots communities, serving the rural revitalisation strategy through concrete actions.

The hospital has dispatched six batches of expert teams to Songtao to provide targeted assistance, successfully introducing a range of new technologies including “double-hook nucleus extraction” cataract surgery, combined cataract and glaucoma surgery, retinal laser treatment, and vitreous oil injection. These efforts have comprehensively enhanced local ophthalmic capabilities, providing a solid technical foundation for this charitable initiative.

In the future, Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital will use the ‘Wansong Ophthalmology Alliance’ as a platform to further strengthen technical support, talent development and the joint development of specialist departments. Working hand in hand with all parties, we will systematically advance subsequent batches of surgical procedures, bringing sight and warmth to more people in the Miao communities. In doing so, we will contribute Aier’s strength to the high-quality development of eye health services in Songtao and to a new chapter in Guangdong-Guizhou cooperation!