Ophthalmology

The Department of Ophthalmology at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, after decades of effort, has become an ophthalmic clinical and research institution with a complete range of disciplines, a strong medical and nursing workforce, highly sophisticated medical technology, advanced diagnostic and treatment equipment, and strong research capabilities.

At present, the Department operates two inpatient wards and sees more than 30,000 outpatient and emergency visits. It has 43 medical and nursing staff members, including 22 physicians and 21 nurses. There are 6 chief physicians and 8 associate chief physicians; 10 doctors hold doctoral degrees and 12 hold master’s degrees. There is 1 doctoral supervisor and 6 master’s supervisors; 5 staff members have overseas study experience. They have participated many times in assistance programs in Africa, Xinjiang, and Tibet. The nursing team is highly experienced, making this a highly qualified medical and nursing team.

Over the past three years, the Department has undertaken five research projects at provincial/ministerial level or above, and one provincial research project has received an award. It has published 15 SCI papers and 5 papers in core journals, produced 6 books, and obtained 2 patents. In education, over the past three years, it has sent 2 people to pursue doctoral degrees and 4 people for further training; many staff members have participated in national continuing medical education programs. Each year, it hosts 2 provincial continuing medical education programs. Over the past five years, it has accepted 8 doctoral students and 16 master’s students.

The ophthalmology outpatient department sees an average of more than 30,000 patient visits annually. It has a first-class diagnostic and treatment environment and examination equipment. It is currently equipped with a range of advanced specialty devices: a solid-state multiwavelength laser, an Angio optical coherence tomography scanner, an ultra-widefield laser scanning ophthalmoscope, a synoptophore, a Humphrey750-i visual field analyzer, an anterior segment analyzer, an optical biometer, an ultrasound biomicroscope, a Topcon fundus fluorescein angiography system, a fundus camera, a corneal endothelial cell analyzer, a dry-eye treatment device, an ophthalmic A/B ultrasound system, a YAG laser, a multiwavelength laser, and others.

The ophthalmology ward has 56 beds and admits more than 1,500 inpatients annually. The Department has subspecialties in cataract, glaucoma, fundus diseases, strabismus, ocular trauma, corneal diseases, and others. The hospital has an independent operating room dedicated to ophthalmology. It is equipped with an internationally advanced German Zeiss intraoperative OCT navigation microscope and three integrated vitrectomy–phacoemulsification machines. The Department has performed various minimally invasive glaucoma surgeries, cataract phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens implantation, vitrectomy, retinal detachment repair, and surgeries and treatments for ocular trauma, corneal diseases, strabismus, oculoplastic conditions, lacrimal duct diseases, orbital diseases, and others. Over the past five years, the average annual surgical volume has exceeded 1,300 procedures. Featured and new techniques include glaucoma valve implantation, cataract phacoemulsification and aspiration + intraocular lens implantation + angle separation + KDB knife goniotomy, penetrating Schlemm’s canal dilation, cataract phacoemulsification and aspiration + multifocal intraocular lens implantation, vitrectomy, and others. In particular, the Department is at an advanced national level in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of glaucoma. The Glaucoma Subcenter of the National Clinical Medical Research Center for Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases was established at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University.

The Department of Ophthalmology at the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University will, by adhering to high standards, high quality, and strict requirements, further improve its technical level and service quality. Guided by new, modern standards for ophthalmic practice, it will serve the general public even better. The staff of the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University will continue to forge ahead and strive to build a high-level ophthalmology department that is first-class in China and influential internationally.