[Media Coverage] Renowned Doctors’ Practice | Tan Yongchang: 20 Years of Dedication to Restoring Clear Vision to Every Pair of Eyes

The following is taken from the original report by Nandu N Video App · Nandu Dongguan——

In Dongguan’s ophthalmology community, Tan Yongchang is a household name when it comes to femtosecond laser cataract surgery. He is the Director of the Cataract Department and an Associate Chief Physician at Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital, as well as the leading expert at the ‘Tan Yongchang Distinguished Physician Studio’. With 20 years of medical practice, he has consistently dedicated himself to the front lines of cataract diagnosis and treatment. He has performed over 20,000 phacoemulsification cataract surgeries and led his team in completing more than 3,500 femtosecond laser cataract surgeries. His surgical volume consistently ranks first in Dongguan. With his superb medical skills and compassionate heart, he has become the trusted “Guardian of Sight” for countless patients with eye conditions.

He is a highly skilled surgical specialist, a warm and humorous doctor whom patients are happy to invite out for a cup of tea, one of the first experts to adopt high-end international intraocular lenses, and the person to whom countless patients with complex eye conditions entrust their “last glimmer of hope”. Today, the Tan Yongchang Distinguished Physician Clinic has been officially established. With the mission of being a “pioneer in advanced cataract care and a guardian of high-quality vision”, it enables residents of Dongguan and the surrounding areas to access world-class refractive cataract diagnosis and treatment services right on their doorstep.

Twenty Years of Dedication: From ‘Being Able to See’ to ‘Seeing Clearly, Comfortably and Lasting’

Twenty years ago, the goal of cataract surgery was simply to enable patients to ‘see’. However, as the quality of life continues to improve, people’s expectations regarding post-operative vision have long since evolved—reading newspapers, using mobile phones, driving, socialising and travelling all require clear, comfortable and lasting vision. Dr Tan Yongchang has personally witnessed and driven this industry transformation, becoming one of the first specialists in Dongguan to perform femtosecond laser cataract surgery on a large scale.

By utilising cutting-edge equipment such as the Zeiss ARTEVO 800 3D digital navigation microscope, he has led Dongguan’s cataract treatment from traditional sight-restoring surgery towards a comprehensive shift towards minimally invasive, precise, personalised and visualised procedures. The femtosecond laser replaces the traditional scalpel, enabling precise capsulorhexis, nuclear fragmentation and positioning; 3D navigation acts as an ‘intelligent GPS’ for the procedure, providing real-time guidance throughout to ensure every step is safer and more stable. A single operation can simultaneously address multiple visual issues such as cataracts, presbyopia, myopia and astigmatism, truly achieving a qualitative leap from merely ‘being able to see’ to ‘seeing clearly, seeing well and seeing for the long term’.

谭泳昌为患者施行飞秒激光白内障手术。

With two decades of deep-rooted experience in the industry, Tan Yongchang has consistently kept pace with the latest international developments. He has successively become a nationally certified surgical specialist, training instructor and Abbe instructor for three major international brands: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Alcon and Zeiss. He also holds numerous academic positions, including member of the Cataract and Refractive Surgery Committee of the Guangdong Eye Health Association, cataract surgery mentor for the Guangdong region of the Aier Group, and mentor for the Guangdong CCOE. Whilst his techniques have continuously evolved and improved, his original aspiration remains unchanged: not merely to restore sight to patients, but to enable everyone to regain a clear vision that brings quality of life and a sense of fulfilment.

With over 20,000 cases under his belt: daring to undertake ‘surgeries that others cannot perform’, he tackles complex cases with his formidable expertise

Patients referred to Dr Tan Yongchang’s Specialist Clinic are often considered ‘difficult cases’ by other hospitals: those with extreme myopia, congenital cataracts, advanced age, concomitant retinal diseases, glaucoma, or lens dislocation. Faced with these formidable challenges, he has brought hope to countless despairing patients through his extensive surgical experience and rigorous diagnostic approach.

(1) Super-high myopia of 2,400 dioptres with multiple eye conditions: post-operative vision restored to 1.0

Ms Xu, aged 32, suffered from super-high myopia of 2,400 dioptres. Her vision had recently deteriorated sharply, and she could no longer make out her surroundings even whilst wearing glasses. After visiting several hospitals, she was told in each instance that “due to the numerous complications, post-operative outcomes could not be guaranteed”. With nowhere else to turn, she sought help from Dr Tan Yongchang.

Examination revealed that, in addition to her extreme myopia, Ms Xu also suffered from bilateral retinal schisis, secondary cataracts, retinal pathology and retrobulbar pterygium. “Retrobulbar pterygium indicates an abnormality in the structure of the eyeball, whilst retinal schisis poses an extremely high risk of retinal detachment during surgery.” Tan Yongchang devised a bespoke treatment plan for her, combining femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification with intraocular lens implantation. Following the procedure, Ms Xu’s vision recovered to 1.0, and she was completely freed from her visual impairment. She said excitedly, “The days when I couldn’t even see clearly with glasses are finally over!”

(2) 18-year-old who had been blind for years due to congenital cataracts regains sight after seeking treatment across provincial borders

18-year-old Xiao Yang, from Yunnan, was diagnosed with congenital cataracts in Year 3 of primary school. Due to her family’s fear of surgery, treatment was delayed; by the age of 15, she had become completely blind and dropped out of school at 16. Her father drove over 1,500 kilometres to bring her to Aier in Dongguan. Examination revealed that her left eye had only hand motion vision, whilst her right eye had a visual acuity of 0.02. She also suffered from nystagmus, severe lens opacity, retinitis pigmentosa and amblyopia, and was found to have a rare ‘spherical lens’.

Dr Tan Yongchang performed femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery on both of Xiao Yang’s eyes. Post-surgery, her vision in the right eye improved to 0.15, and Xiao Yang was finally able to see her family’s faces and walk independently. With tears in her eyes, she said, “I can see things much more clearly now; I no longer have to live in the dark.”

谭泳昌为小杨看诊。

(3) 98-year-old woman on the verge of blindness due to ‘overripe’ cataracts regains clear vision thanks to femtosecond laser technology

In recent years, 98-year-old Mrs Mo’s eyesight had deteriorated dramatically. ‘Even during the day, everything looked as if it were veiled by a thick gauze; I had to feel my way along the walls to walk,’ she said, her daily life having become almost completely dependent on others. “Many hospitals said they were concerned that she was too old and that the surgical risks were too high, so they wouldn’t take her on.” Her son took her to numerous hospitals for consultations, but each time she was politely turned away due to her “advanced age of 98 and high blood pressure”.

After much effort, they finally arrived at Dr Tan Yongchang’s clinic, where it was found that the elderly woman had Grade 5 brownish-black nuclear cataracts in both eyes. Following a detailed examination and comprehensive assessment of her overall health (including blood pressure, blood sugar levels, and cardiopulmonary function), Dr Tan Yongchang’s team devised a surgical plan for Mrs Mo involving “femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification with phacoemulsification and the implantation of a continuous vision intraocular lens”, ensuring the procedure would be both precise and safe. After the operation, the elderly woman pointed at the eye chart, beaming from ear to ear: “I never imagined that at my age, I’d be able to see the world so clearly!”

莫婆婆家属为谭泳昌团队送上锦旗致谢

A Doctor with a Warm Heart: Patients Proactively Invite Him for ‘Tea’ After Surgery, Finding Reassurance Through Empathy

Witty, gentle, patient and extremely approachable—these are the consistent descriptions of Dr Tan Yongchang from both patients and colleagues. He makes a habit of conducting consultations in a casual, conversational manner, explaining medical conditions in plain language and easing patients’ fears with a relaxed demeanour. Many patients, after their consultation, will spontaneously say: “Dr Tan, do pop round for a cup of tea when you’ve a spare moment!”

“I want patients to enter the consultation room not with fear and anxiety, but with trust and a sense of ease. We’ll be like friends, working together to overcome the ‘obstacles’ of the gloom before us.” It is precisely this heartfelt respect and empathy that has earned him a reputation spanning all age groups and reaching across the city.

Tan Yongchang knows full well that safeguarding sight is never a solitary battle. As the head of his department and a mentor for the group, whilst dedicating himself to clinical practice, he has consistently committed to passing on his expertise and supporting grassroots healthcare: mentoring young doctors hands-on and promoting standardised surgical procedures; he has frequently visited local communities to conduct free screenings and raise public awareness of eye health, thereby enhancing citizens’ understanding of early prevention and treatment; and he has been invited on numerous occasions to participate in national ophthalmology conferences, sharing his experience with complex cases and working alongside colleagues nationwide to advance the standard of cataract diagnosis and treatment. “Strength lies not in an individual, but in the strength of the entire team and the entire profession; only then can we truly safeguard the sight of more people.”

Dr Tan Yongchang’s Distinguished Physician Clinic: Enjoy world-class cataract diagnosis and treatment right on your doorstep

In April this year, the ‘Dr Tan Yongchang Distinguished Physician Studio’ was officially established at Dongguan Aier Eye Hospital. The studio offers a comprehensive range of services, including a dedicated booking channel for leading specialists, multidisciplinary consultations for complex cases, personalised surgical plans, and long-term post-operative visual health management, thereby truly bridging the ‘last mile’ for residents seeking to ‘consult leading specialists and receive effective treatment’.

“By combining femtosecond laser technology with digital 3D navigation, a single procedure can address cataracts, presbyopia, myopia and astigmatism, making the surgery more precise, safer and ensuring greater post-operative comfort. Residents can now enjoy world-class refractive cataract surgery right here in Dongguan.” Throughout his 20-year medical career, Tan Yongchang has remained true to his original aspirations, using his expertise as a foundation and compassion as his guiding principle, serving as a guardian of high-quality vision for every patient.

This article is reproduced in full from Nandu N Video: https://m.mp.oeeee.com/a/BAAFRD0000202605091586790.html

Reported by: Huang Fangfang, Nandu N Video reporter; Correspondent: Lin Yuzhen; Photos provided by the interviewee

For further coverage, see the special feature：睛彩东莞 EYE启清晰视界