Dr Lee Shu Yen

Ophthalmologist

Specialty

Ophthalmology

Languages

English, Hokkien, Malay, Mandarin, Teochew

Gender

Female

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Experience

Dr Lee Shu Yen is an ophthalmologist and vitreoretinal surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore.

She has special interests in retinal detachment surgery, complications of high myopia, diabetic retinopathy and macula surgery. In addition, she is a cataract surgeon who is comfortable with the various types of intraocular lens corrections and can manage complex cataract issues including sclera fix intraocular lenses and post-cataract surgery complications.

She was previously the head of the surgical retina department at the Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC). She was also the director of the operating theatre and inpatient services there.

Dr Lee graduated from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and completed her training in ophthalmology at SNEC. She then underwent fellowship training in surgical and medical retina at SNEC as well as at the Lions Eye Institute, Australia. She is a fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. She set up the retina centre at the SGH Diabetes & Metabolism Centre. She has been practising medicine for more than 25 years.

She was appointed clinical associate professor at Duke-NUS Medical School where she set up the ophthalmology programme at the school. She served as a core faculty member in the SNEC residency programme and was involved in the teaching of local and international fellows in the surgical retina programme.

She has been frequently invited to participate and speak at local, regional and international ophthalmology and retinal conferences on topics such as retinal disease management, imaging and surgical techniques.

Dr Lee is also active in retina research with more than 100 paper publications in peer-reviewed journals in the fields of retinal complications of pathologic myopia, retinal detachments, giant retinal tears, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration and gene therapy. She has chaired the SNEC research and innovation committee, which provided pilot grant funding at the Singapore Eye Research Institute.

She was one of the earliest female ophthalmologists who was elected president of the Singapore Society of Ophthalmologists. She helped set up the young ophthalmologist's section and spearheaded greater involvement of the Singapore ophthalmology in the region, when she served as a council member with the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology and the ASEAN Ophthalmology Society.

Dr Lee was a member of the executive committee of the College of Ophthalmologists, Academy of Medicine, Singapore, with roles as secretary and then as vice-president of the College. She was additionally appointed to the Ministry of Health committee on the diabetes taskforce to fight diabetes nationally.

Associated treatments

Diagnosis of eye disorders
Retinal detachment
Treatment of eye disorders
Vitrectomy (Posterior)
Use of laser equipment

Awards and honours

2024
Singapore Health Quality Service Award
2023
Singapore Health Quality Service Award
2022
Singapore Health Quality Service Award
National Day Award (Ministry of Health)
2021
SingHealth Long Service Award (20 years)

Research & publications

Ting, D. S. W., Foo, V. H. X., Tan, T., Sie, N. M., Wong, C. W., Tsai, A. S. H., Tan, G. S. W., Lim, L. S., Yeo, I. Y. S., Wong, D. W. K., Ong, S. G., Wong, E. Y. M., Ang, C. L., & Lee, S. Y. (2020). 25-years Trends and Risk factors related to Surgical Outcomes of Giant Retinal Tear-Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachments. Scientific Reports, 10(1).

Teo, K. Y. C., Lee, S. Y., Barathi, A. V., Tun, S. B. B., Tan, L., & Constable, I. J. (2018). Surgical removal of internal limiting membrane and layering of AAV vector on the retina under air enhances gene transfection in a nonhuman primate. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, 59(8), 3574.

Wong, C. W., Ang, M., Tsai, A., Phua, V., & Lee, S. Y. (2016). A Prospective study of biometric stability after scleral buckling surgery. American Journal of Ophthalmology, 165, 47–53. 

Wong, C. W., Yeo, I. Y., Loh, B. K., Wong, E. Y., Wong, D. W., Ong, S. G., Ang, C. L., & Lee, S. Y. (2015). Scleral buckling versus vitrectomy in the Management of Macula-Off Primary Rhegmatogenous Retina Detachment: A comparison of visual outcomes. Retina, 35(12), 2552–2557.