Women of Vision
Celebrating SG Women
In the Year of Celebrating SG Women, we present stories which showcase and celebrate women’s multi-faceted contributions and progress at SNEC and SERI.
Join us to honour and acknowledge our team of amazing women who have made impact in the field of Ophthalmology, inspiring those around them with their brand of ethos in life.
Dr Loo Jing Liang
Head and Senior Consultant, Neuro-ophthalmology Department, SNEC
Why did you choose to become an ophthalmologist?
The reason may sound strange, but I had decided very early on in my career that I didn’t want to be in a discipline where I had to deal with human orifices! Also, I wanted to practise a mix of medicine and surgery — and ophthalmology provides this ideal combination, especially in the field of neuro-ophthalmology, where eye conditions are intimately related to the brain and other body systems.
How has family support helped you get to where you are in SNEC?
One of the most memorable experiences in my life was going for my one-year fellowship in neuro-ophthalmology at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore with two toddlers in tow. It wouldn’t have been possible if not for my husband — who is also a doctor — and both sets of grandparents. I am grateful for their unwavering belief that girls also deserve the best opportunities that life can offer, and should be pushed to realise their full intellectual potential. They unhesitatingly left their comfort zone in Singapore, and took care of us at various times throughout that year in a crime-rife city in the US so that I could pursue this!
What is your proudest achievement to date?
Seeing the residents and consultants whom I had trained manage neuro-ophthalmology cases independently and competently gives me a sense of happiness and pride. An example is when they are alone in the ward or in the Emergency Department, and they appropriately diagnose and manage a patient who has a potentially dangerous condition that would have otherwise been overlooked if not for them.
In five to 10 years, what do you hope to have accomplished in terms of your work?
Neuro-ophthalmology has a reputation of being staid and unsexy; I hope to change this misconception in how we teach it. Also, in Southeast Asian countries outside of Singapore, many ophthalmologists are not familiar with the practice of neuro-ophthalmology. I am working with members of my department to curate interesting and unusual cases we have seen over the past two decades in SNEC, and use them in various fun and engaging formats to reach out to different audiences. So do watch this space!
