Cataract is a leading cause of blindness and visual impairment in Hong Kong. The waiting time for new case appointment booking for specialist outpatient services in ophthalmology in the Hospital Authority was up to 219 weeks (1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023 – 90th percentile). Patients diagnosed with cataract typically encounter an average waiting period of another one to two years for their surgery. With a generous donation from TPK Kwok Family Charitable Fund, HKUMed Department of Ophthalmology launches the Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Kwok Charity Cataract Surgery and Research Programme, with a goal to provide free cataract surgery and pre- and post-operative ophthalmic consultation to over 500 underprivileged Hong Kong residents at the HKU Eye Centre (7/F, Marina 8, Wong Chuk Hang). 250 patients will be selected from those with the most extended cataract surgery wait time currently on list in the teaching hospitals of HKU – Grantham Hospital and Queen Mary Hospital under the Hospital Authority. Expenses associated with the cataract surgery, encompassing diagnostic tests and prescribed medications, will be fully covered at no cost to the patients.
白內障是香港致盲和視力受損的主要原因。現時醫院管理局的眼科門診非緊急新症輪候時間，最長需要219星期（2022年10月01日至2023年09月30日 – 90百分值數）。被診斷為白內障的患者通常需要額外等待超過一至兩年才能接受白內障手術。在郭炳江及家人慈善基金的慷慨捐助下，港大醫學院眼科學系推出郭炳江先生夫人慈善白內障手術及研究計劃，旨在為逾500名香港弱勢居民於香港大學眼科中心（黃竹坑Marina 8大廈7樓）免費提供白內障手術以及手術前後的眼科諮詢及覆診服務（包括診斷檢查和處方藥物）。其中250名為港大醫學院教學醫院，葛量洪醫院及瑪麗醫院等待白內障手術時間最長的醫管局患者。