Campaign Gains Global Traction

Know The Glow® word-of-mouth circulates in British hospitals.

Retinal surgeon and Know The Glow Campaign supporter, Dr. Chien Wong, serving at three of London’s leading hospitals, has noticed increased Know The Glow knowledge within his practice.

When our team heard about the increased word-of-mouth, we interviewed Dr. Wong about this growing awareness and his glow-guidance for parents concerned about white or golden eye glow.

Know the Glow: How have you noticed Know The Glow Campaign knowledge increasing in the United Kingdom?

Dr. Wong: A patient’s mother stumbled across Know The Glow materials online and mentioned it to me during an appointment. I laughed and said, “I know those people!” It was quite wonderful to hear the connection had been made.

This mom has become very inspired by Know The Glow’s campaign and has since become active in the UK community by hosting meet-ups and other activities to gain local media attention surrounding Coats Disease. She always uses the Know The Glow website as a resource for other families and as a tool for building awareness in her own community.

Know the Glow: What information do you think parents need to know about “The Glow”?

Dr. Wong: I want to stress what a very useful resource Know The Glow is for families worried about their child’s eyes or vision. Megan Webber and her team are a point of contact for questions. Parents tell me that the team actually responds with answers to any questions they have!

It is always comforting to receive advice and support from others who have been through similar experiences. The campaign is more than an awareness campaign; it has become a source of reassurance and comfort to many to know there are others out there and to share their stories with others who have been through the journey.

I would also add that the growing use of smart phones has decreased the use of flash photography. All parents should turn the flash on from time to time. Just take a few photos for glow detection and reassurance that your child has a healthy redeye reflex. A healthy happy outcome can be as simple as turning on the flash and taking photograph.

About Dr. Wong

Dr. Chien Wong is a world-renowned retinal surgeon working at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children and Royal Free Hospital. Dr. Wong’s contributions in adult and pediatric vitreoretinal diseases include his work with the California-based NGO the Armenian EyeCare Project. In partnership with Professor Thomas Lee, Director of the Vision Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Dr. Wong has been instrumental in the development of telesurgery, which provides on-demand remote surgical mentoring and support, enabling access to state-of-the art vitreoretinal surgery in babies with retinopathy of prematurity in Armenia. He has given over 80 conference presentations, instructed over 20 surgical courses, written over 30 publications, as well as 4 book chapters.

In 2014, he introduced endoscopic vitrectomy in retinopathy of prematurity to the UK, making Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children one of two centers in the world offering this treatment.

Areas of Expertise:

Areas of Interest:

  • Super-specialist interest in complex pediatric vitreoretinal surgery
  • Complex retinal detachment in babies and young children
  • Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)
  • Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR)
  • Persistent fetal vasculature syndrome (PFVS)
  • Incontinentia pigmenti (IP)
  • Coats disease
  • Stickler’s disease
  • Epiretinal membranes in children
  • Coloboma
  • Optic disc pit maculopathy
  • Trauma
  • Other pediatric vitreoretinopathies

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