Dear friends and colleagues,

Welcome to this edition of the MSO Express, your express ticket to the latest developments, insights and highlights across our community. Just as an express train connects you swiftly and purposefully to key destinations, this newsletter is designed to deliver updates, thoughtful perspectives and engaging stories that matter most.

As our ophthalmology community continues to grow and evolve, platforms like this play an important role in keeping us connected; allowing us to share experiences, highlight meaningful work within our fraternity and reflect on the developments shaping Ophthalmology today.

In this edition, the first segment; Eye Street News: What’s Happening in Ophthal City?, takes us to the regional platform through the eyes of a young ophthalmologist attending APAO 2026. International meetings such as these not only showcase the latest developments in Ophthalmology but also provide invaluable opportunities for networking, mentorship and professional growth. Through this feature, we hope readers can share in the excitement and inspiration that global gatherings bring to the next generation of Ophthalmologists.

Our next segment, Behind the Lens: A Conversation with the Expert, explores a topic of growing relevance in today’s medical landscape. We delve into Safeguarding Vision in Aesthetic Medicine: Strengthening Collaboration Between Aesthetic Medicine and Ophthalmology. As aesthetic procedures become increasingly common, so does the potential for ocular complications. Here we highlight the importance of cross-disciplinary awareness and cooperation; and the role that we as Ophthalmologists play in education and management.

ARTICLES

Eye Street News: What’s Happening in Ophthal City?

APAO 2026 IN THE EYE OF A YOUNG OPHTHALMOLOGIST

The 41st Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) Congress, held from February 5–8, 2026, saw the global ophthalmic community descend upon the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC). For the Malaysian delegation, and particularly our Young Ophthalmologists (YO), the meeting was a great place to not only learn but was a platform for invaluable peer networking.

The Evolution of the YO Movement

The APAO YO Standing Committee was established in 2010 to empower young eye surgeons by facilitating continuing medical education, residency training and early involvement in leadership. What began with a handful of organizations has grown into over 30 national YO affiliates. Over the years, this congress has effectively become the "home base" for the various national YO organizations across Asia Pacific.

Academic Highlights: Research and Surgery

The YO Symposium served as a platform for showcasing research, independent of traditional subspecialty constraints. By focusing on a younger audience, the session created a professional yet approachable setting. During the symposium, we saw presentations of trainee-led clinical projects to public health initiatives, fostering a sense of achievement in a supportive environment.

Behind the lens: A Conversation with the Expert

RETINOBLASTOMA AWARENESS DAY AT HOSPITAL TUNKU AZIZAH - A DAY TO CELEBRATE OUR YOUNG WARRIORS

Safeguarding Vision in Aesthetic Medicine: Strengthening Collaboration between Aesthetic Medicine and Ophthalmology

The rapid growth of aesthetic injectable procedures in Malaysia has brought renewed focus to patient safety, particularly in areas with direct vascular connections to the eye. Although rare, vision-threatening complications such as retinal artery occlusion can result in severe and often irreversible visual loss.

Recognising the importance of structured safeguards, the Aesthetic Task Force Malaysia was established under the Malaysian Society of Aesthetic Medicine to enhance safety frameworks and interdisciplinary collaboration. We spoke with Dr Alice Goh, the founding Chair of the Task Force, to learn more about its objectives and relevance to ophthalmologists.

INTERVIEW WITH DR ALICE GOH

What is the role of the Aesthetic Task Force Malaysia?

The Aesthetic Task Force Malaysia is a multidisciplinary initiative bringing together oculoplastic surgeons, ophthalmologists, dermatologists, plastic surgeons and aesthetic physicians to address vision-threatening complications associated with facial injectables. Its aim is to develop evidence-based national protocols, standardise emergency management algorithms, establish structured referral pathways and build a coordinated rapid-response network. A national complication registry is also being developed to support data-driven improvements and medicolegal clarity.

Why is ocular safety relevant in aesthetic practice?

Although injectable procedures are often perceived as minimally invasive, they are not without risk. Ophthalmic or retinal artery occlusion remains the most catastrophic complication resulting in irreversible vision loss. The facial vascular anatomy contains anastomoses that communicate directly with the ophthalmic artery. Injections in high-risk regions such as the glabella, nasal dorsum and forehead carry a recognised, though uncommon risk of embolic events affecting the retinal circulation. Ocular ischaemia presents immediately, leaving limited time for intervention. Eye safety should therefore be embedded as a core competency in aesthetic medical training, with emphasis on prevention, early recognition and immediate escalation.

Next in Vision: Ophthalmic Innovations and Updates

CHALLENGING THE LIMITS OF RETINAL SUREGER: ADVANCED SURGICAL STRATEGIES FOR REFRACTORY MACULAR HOLES AND MYOPIC TRACTION MACULOPATHY

The landscape of vitreoretinal surgery is constantly progressing, moving from the foundational principles of relieving traction to the complex frontiers of structural reconstruction. In this issue, we explore two sophisticated surgical manoeuvres that tackle some of our most challenging macular pathologies. First, we delve into the world of Autologous Retinal Transplant (ART), an approach for refractory macular holes. Second, Macular Buckling, a procedure that addresses the external forces of a staphyloma, a technique seeing a resurgence as a solution for myopic traction maculopathy (MTM). Through exclusive interviews with two leading vitreoretinal surgeons, we discuss the indications, technical nuances and their experiences in these procedures.

Leading the discussion on Autologous Retinal Transplant is Professor Mae-Lynn Catherine Bastion, a Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist and Professor of Vitreoretinal Surgery in Hospital University Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM). A household name in Malaysian ophthalmology, Professor Mae-Lynn has long been at the forefront of academic and clinical excellence. In this interview, she provides us with an in-depth look at the biological recovery made possible with ART.

Professor, could you explain how the principles of this surgery differ from conventional macular hole treatment?

In conventional repair, we utilize the internal limiting membrane (ILM) to cover the macular hole (MH). The ILM serves as a scaffold, promoting the migration of photoreceptors beneath the flap to achieve closure. In contrast, Autologous Retinal Transplantation (ART) involves closing the hole by transplanting a small, full-thickness segment of the patient’s own neurosensory retina into the foveal area. Typically, this graft is harvested from a peripheral site, often an area of detached retina.

Was there a particular paper, mentor, or surgical video that inspired you to perform ART?

I have seen this technique demonstrated at several congresses, primarily for refractory MH. Often, these cases require inducing a localized retinal detachment (RD) via subretinal injection of balanced salt solution using an ultrafine 40G cannula. While these specialized cannulas are not always standard in my operating theatre, this particular case presented with a pre-existing RD. This obviated the need to iatrogenically create a donor site detachment, making ART a compelling and logical choice. My approach was also informed by global studies, such as the large series reported by Moysidis et al. in Ophthalmology (2021).