Mr Chien Wong

About Chien Wong

Mr Chien Wong, MBBS FRCSEd(Ophth) PGC, is a consultant ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon at 3 leading NHS hospitals: Moorfields Eye Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and Royal Free Hospital. He is an expert in vitreoretinal surgery in adults, managing conditions ranging from eye floaters, to epiretinal membrane, to diabetic retinal disease, with a super-specialist interest in paediatric retinal detachments and vitreoretinal diseases.

His ethos as a vitreoretinal surgeon, is dovetailing the best interest of each and every patient with an inclusive personalised approach, the latest clinical evidence, cutting-edge surgical techniques and his natural ability to perform surgery that finds the sweet spot between safety and effectiveness.

He has been described both as a gifted surgeon and one that is ahead of the curve, whose promise was evident as a Moorfields Eye Hospital resident, when he was the best performing trainee in a surgical motion-tracking study published in Ophthalmology, the top ranked scientific journal in the field.

Following ophthalmology residency at Moorfields Eye Hospital, he undertook vitreoretinal and medical retina clinical fellowships also at Moorfields. This was followed by a further 2.5 years of paediatric surgical retina and retinovascular clinical and research fellowships at Beaumont Hospital, Michigan, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, USA, funded by competitive awards from the TFC Frost Trust, Moorfields Special Trustees, Moorfields Surgeon’s Association, HCA International and the University of Southern California.

Chien’s consultative approach

From the first consultation, he takes the effort to understand the patient’s reason for attendance, evaluates and explains with an approach that is attentive to how individuals may prefer to receive medical information, allows room for any potential patient anxieties to surface, and takes into consideration cultural context. These stem from his 20+ years of experience of managing patients of all ages, from babies to centenarians, and a wide range of backgrounds.

National and international reputation

Mr Wong is a key opinion leader and educator in vitreoretinal surgery. His clinical expertise is exemplified by being one of a handful of surgeons in the UK that surgically treat complex retinal detachment in premature infants and children. His opinion is sought by international vitreoretinal surgical companies to advice on improvements of current and future technologies to optimise safety and effectiveness of surgery, NGOs to train their vitreoretinal surgical teams, and other consultant eye surgeons.

• UK representative of the Global Alliance Board at the American Academy of Ophthalmology
• Invited reviewer for multiple scientific journals
• Advisory Board member of several international vitreoretinal surgery companies, including being the Chair of a retinal surgery advisory board
• Works with international NGOs the Armenian EyeCare Project (USA & Armenia), Know The Glow (USA) and Lifeline Express (Hong Kong, China)
• Over 20 surgical courses as lead or co-instructor in the UK and internationally, including as course director and instructor on complex vitreoretinal surgery at the American Academy of Ophthalmology annual conference, the largest international clinical and surgical meeting.

Research highlights & publications

• Author of over 40 collaborative scientific publications and 6 book chapters
• Over 130 national and international conference presentations, including a Keynote lecture in 2017.
• Co-investigator on several phase I/II gene therapy clinical trials
• UK Chief Investigator and Moorfields Eye Hospital Principal Investigator for the RAINBOW randomised controlled trial

Studies & publications

A selection from over 40 research studies & publications:

• International multicentre study of 107 eyes on traumatic retinal detachment in patients with self-injurious behaviour illustrate the challenges and options for managing this group of conditions. Published: Ophthalmology Retina
• Improving safety and quality in vitreoretinal surgery through patient safety reporting. Published: British Journal of Ophthalmology.
• Macular hole surgery and the impact on cataract development – a prospective randomised controlled clinical trial. Published: Journal of Cataract and Refractive Surgery.
• Large dataset assessing the risk of iatrogenic retinal break formation during vitrectomy surgery. Published: Ophthalmology.
• Development of a novel surgical technique in collaboration with UCL department of chemistry for removal adherent silicone oil following complex retinal detachment surgery. Published: British Journal of Ophthalmology.
• Novel surgical technique in paediatric vitreoretinal surgery and retinal detachment. Published: Retina.

In the media

Chien Wong has featured in the media for his work on complex vitreoretinal conditions and surgeries. These include ITV’s Paul O’Grady’s Little Heroes in 2019, with Mr Wong treating a retinal detachment in 2 year old Lucas with Coats disease, BBC One’s NHS at 70 in 2018 and his work with the Armenian EyeCare Project.

• First-in-man treatment for a rare retinal condition, LCA-4. – Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
• ITV. Paul O’Grady’s Little Heroes, series 2, episode 3. – Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
• BBC 1. NHS at 70: How the NHS Changed Our World – Moorfields Eye Hospital

Further mentions in the media:

• Kuwaiti mum relieved after baby daughter receives treatment for rare eye condition at London hospital
• Ocular Surgery News – European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons meeting: Endoscopic vitrectomy useful in some paediatric and adult cases
• Saving the sight of premature babies this World Sight Day

Charity work

From 2014, Chien Wong has worked closely with the Armenian Eye Care Project (AECP), a not-for-profit California-based NGO supporting and developing eye care in Armenia since 1992. Supported by the Armenian Health Ministry and a significant grant from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a national paediatric vitreoretinal (VR) treatment centre, the Centre of Excellence for the Prevention of Children Blindness, was developed for the children of Armenia. This was in partnership with Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Between 2014 to 2017, Chien provided quarterly on-site vitreoretinal surgical training to two of the country’s most experienced VR surgeons, making 10 trips in 3 years.

This has evolved almost exclusively to telesurgery. A ground-breaking moment in the project occurred in 2016, whereby for the first time in the history of the Project, high-risk ROP surgery was performed in an infant wholly by an Armenian surgical team in Armenia with only remote supervision, from Great Ormond Street Hospital in London via telesurgery.

Further information:

Patient story: Michelle – Michelle’s mother was overjoyed when she learned she was pregnant. But her baby was in danger of going blind.

Dr. Wong’s story

Centre of Excellence for the Prevention of Childhood Blindness: Dr Wong was a key partner in supporting the establishment of the centre and training the national surgical team.

How the Armenian EyeCare project saved an infant from blindness

Family travels from Russia to get eye care for their child

More about the Armenian EyeCare Project

Armenian Infants Saved from a Lifetime of Blindness

Society memberships

British and Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons (BEAVRS), UK

Royal College of Ophthalmologists, UK

Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh, UK

Retina society, USA

American Academy of Ophthalmology, USA

Association of Pediatric Retinal Surgeons (only UK member), USA

European Society of Retina Specialists (EURETINA)

The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)

The American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS)

Consultation locations

Mr Wong can be consulted at:

• Flagship central London clinic
• Moorfields Private Eye Hospital*
• Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children

*Ophthalmic Consultants of London™ and Moorfields Private Eye Hospital are independent of each other. Consultants employed by Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust are able to see and treat private patients.

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