By Goh Jiah Ying, IECRC
A Continuing Medical Education talk for medical doctors titled “A Clinical Approach to Tearing” was conducted at Mount Elizabeth Hospital on 21 April 2017 by Dr Joy Chan as the guest speaker. The lecture was chaired by Dr Au Eong Kah Guan.
Dr Chan is the Medical Director and Senior Consultant in Singapore International Eye Cataract Retina Centre at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre and International Eye Cataract Retina Centre at Farrer Park Medical Centre. She graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in National University of Singapore with a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery in 2004, and was awarded the Gold Medal and Book Prize in Ophthalmology in 2003. She was also awarded the Academic Medicine Development Award during her fellowship training in Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at National University Hospital in 2013. Dr Chan has published on a wide range of research topics, including novel surgical techniques for treating eyelid laxity, novel ophthalmic imaging techniques and rare eye conditions.
Tearing is a non-specific symptom which has a wide range of causes. Even though this symptom is neither life- nor sight-threatening, it can cause significant distress to sufferers. Therefore, it is important to diagnose and treat the underlying cause of tearing as it can improve one’s quality of life.
Dr Chan kick-started the talk by explaining the anatomy and function of the lacrimal drainage apparatus, a combination of several structures responsible for the production and drainage of tears. She proceeded to explain the different causes of tearing and shared with attendees the various methods to diagnose and manage them. She injected her personal experiences into the talk, making it more interesting and enabling the doctors to better understand the complex issues concerning watering in the eye.
One such example is from her experience with her patient who is suffering from lacrimal pump failure, which occurs when the lower eyelids become lax with age. In her opinion, this is a common condition which is often underdiagnosed, and many patients may have tearing due to this reason. While explaining about the case, Dr Chan emphasized the importance of good history taking, which is the process where doctors ask relevant questions in order to assess all factors that may affect a patient’s health status, as it plays a major role in diagnosing eye conditions.
Dr Chan ended the lecture with a discussion on various treatment options, including many procedures and surgeries she had performed over the years.
Dr Chan will be speaking at a Public Forum on Common Eye Conditions soon. Those interested to attend this free public forum can register online here.
