The 39th Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO 2024) Congress was held in Bali, Indonesia from February 22 to 25, 2024. As the most influential ophthalmology event in Asia, the Congress brought together top ophthalmologists from around the world to discuss cutting-edge research achievements and technologies. Professor Zhang Wei, Dean of the Eye and Vision Science Research Institute, NKU and Vice President of Tianjin Eye Hospital (TEH) (in charge of administration), and Professor Wang Yan, Dean of the Institute of Ophthalmology, NKU, were invited to attend the meeting and delivered reports at the Congress.

Professor Zhang Wei was invited by APAO 2024 to serve as the moderator of two special sessions and give a lecture on strabismus titled “Is it congenital SOP or Skew Deviation?” With his rich academic experience and profound professional knowledge, he discussed the latest progress and research achievements in the field of ophthalmology with the participants and received attention and praise from many experts.

At the Congress, Professor Wang Yan gave an in-depth analysis and shared experience in the astigmatism treatment after SMILE operation. At the same time, she was awarded the APAO Achievement Award by the Congress for her outstanding academic achievements. This is the second time that she has received an APAO award since she was awarded the APAO Distinguished Service Award in 2015.

Established in 1960, APAO is a regional professional ophthalmology organization in the Asia Pacific region composed of professional ophthalmology societies from member countries and regions such as the Chinese Ophthalmological Society, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, the Japanese Ophthalmological Society, and the Korean Ophthalmological Society. It is the world’s largest regional academic organization, and the APAO Congress is the largest and most influential ophthalmology event in the Asia Pacific region.

The Institute of Ophthalmology, NKU, was established in July 2021, and the Eye and Vision Science Research Institute, NKU, was co-established in July 2023 by NKU and TEH. Based on NKU’s disciplinary, talent, and platform advantages in basic research, as well as TEH’s “medical, teaching, research, and prevention” achievements over the years, the two Institutes aim to build a first-class research platform for ophthalmology and optometry, gather a team of first-class experts from both home and abroad, and improve the development level of medical, medical-science integrated, and medical-engineering integrated disciplines, to make important contributions to the high-quality development of ophthalmology, optometry and related interdisciplinary fields in China.