Global experts call for innovation, advancement to treat major vision-threatening diseases

Global ophthalmologists and industry experts have called for innovation and advancement of global ophthalmic technology, as well as diagnosis and treatment concepts, to target two major vision-threatening diseases.

Meeting in Shanghai for "Beyond Asia 2025 Ophthalmology Summit," top ophthalmologists in China and more than 300 industry authorities from over 10 countries also helped outline an innovative path for patients to continuously benefit in the context of the Healthy China 2030 strategy.

Top Chinese ophthalmologists including Sun Xinghuai, Ge Jian, Li Xiaorong and Chen Youxin, as well as Stela Vujosevic from Italy and Marion Ronit Munk from Switzerland, attended the summit, which was held from July 5 to July 6.

Global biopharmaceutical company AbbVie hosted the milestone event.

Against the backdrop of increasing public focus on visual health, China — as one of the countries with the largest number of patients with blindness and visually impairment in the world — is leading the development of ophthalmology with innovative diagnostic and treatment technologies.

The participating experts engaged in in-depth exchanges on two major vision-threatening diseases — fundus diseases and glaucoma.

Currently, the number of glaucoma patients in China is up to 21 million, with a blindness rate of about 27 percent, making it a major threat to visual health. Additionally, the incidence of fundus diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration continues to rise, posing a major cause of vision loss.

The 14th Five-Year National Eye Health Plan (2021-25) issued by the National Health Commission clearly emphasized the promotion of early detection, diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases, including fundus diseases, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

Professor Sun Xinghuai from the Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University stressed that new technologies provide strong support for the public eye health, and it is the common aspiration of physicians and patients to efficiently and safely manage ophthalmic diseases with new technologies.

Citing related data, Professor Li Xiaorong from the Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital noted: "There are 150 million diabetes patients in China, with 30 percent suffering from diabetic retinopathy, and one-third at risk of blindness caused by diabetic macular edema. Early detection and intervention can significantly improve patients' vision."

It has been learned that the summit also covered multiple key topics such as enhancing early screening and treatment, optimizing whole-course disease management, and improving vision and quality of life of patients.

These include a focus on how new technologies including artificial intelligence-assisted diagnosis and treatment, biomarkers application, and minimally invasive glaucoma drainage tubes can empower diagnosis and treatment, so as to effectively improve the hospital visit experience and disease management of patients with eye diseases.

Professor Chen Youxin from the Department of Ophthalmology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital pointed out that AI technology has achieved significant breakthroughs in the diagnosis and treatment of fundus diseases.

Meanwhile, the deep learning model developed by his team also helped improve the efficacy in patients with diabetic macular edema.

Dong Lijun, vice-president of AbbVie and general manager of AbbVie China, said that AbbVie has supported the organization of the international ophthalmology summit in China for three consecutive years, to facilitate cutting-edge medical exchanges and cooperation between global and Chinese experts.

In the future, AbbVie will remain committed to the core values of "innovation, leadership, and win-win cooperation," making every technological breakthrough a starting point of vision improvement, and lighting up the path toward vision health for patients worldwide, Dong said.