Retinal detachment and macular holes
A retina that has come away from the back of the eye, or a small break at its centre.
Dr Laurence Lim
Senior Consultant Eye Specialist and Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon at The Straits Eye Centre. Retina and vitreoretinal surgery for adults and children, and eye care.
- Over 18 years in ophthalmology
- Triple Gold Medallist in Medical Studies
- Former Senior Consultant, SNEC and NUH
- Retina training at Harvard
RetinaPaediatric retinaCataract
Lee Kuan Yew Gold Medal (2002)
Top Graduate in Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS)
Top Specialist Board Certification (2011)
Ranked as the #1 Candidate nationwide in the Singapore Specialist Exit Examination—the national board-level licensing exam for eye specialists—in Retina, Vitreous & Uvea, Paediatric Ophthalmology, and Oculoplastic Surgery
About Dr Laurence
Senior Consultant Eye Specialist and Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon at The Straits Eye Centre.
Dr Laurence Lim treats diseases of the retina in adults and children, medically and with surgery, alongside general ophthalmology and cataract surgery.
At the National University of Singapore, he received multiple academic awards including three gold medals: the Lee Kuan Yew Gold Medal and the Gibbs Gold Medal in 2002, and the Medical Class of 1975 Gold Medal in 2001, as well as the Dean’s List in all five years.
Before private practice he was Senior Consultant in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National University Hospital, and before that Senior Consultant in the Vitreo-Retinal Department at the Singapore National Eye Centre. He was an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, and Visiting Consultant retina surgeon at Changi General Hospital, KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the Franco-Viet Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City.
Under a Ministry of Health Manpower Development Plan award, he trained in paediatric retinal conditions and retinal prostheses — the “bionic eye” — at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.
He led the SINBION retinal prosthesis implantation programme at the Singapore National Eye Centre. At the National University Hospital he introduced macular buckling for myopic maculopathy, including implantation of the AJL macular buckle.
He has published research in The Lancet, The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and Ophthalmology.
- Speciality
- Ophthalmology
- Subspecialist interest
- Adult and paediatric retina · Vitreoretinal surgery
- Clinical interests
- Macular holes · Retinal detachment · Diabetic retinopathy · Macular degeneration · Myopic maculopathy · Cataract
- Qualifications
- MBBS (S’pore) · MRCS (Edin) · FRCS (Edin) · FAMS
- Profiles
Dr Laurence’s values
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Commitment
Diagnosis and treatment follow current clinical evidence.
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Compassion
Care for patients with kindness, empathy and respect.
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Integrity
Tests, procedures and medication only where necessary.
Distinctions and experience
Specialist exit examination
- 2011 Top Candidate in RetinaRanked #1 in the vitreo-retinal disease exit examination
- 2011 Top Candidate in Paediatric OphthalmologyRanked #1 in the paediatric ophthalmology exit examination
- 2011 Top Candidate in OculoplasticsRanked #1 in the oculoplastic surgery exit examination
Academic honours
- 1998–2002 Dean’s List in all five yearsNational University of Singapore, Faculty of Medicine
- 2002 Lee Kuan Yew Gold MedalNational University of Singapore
Senior consultant posts
- Former Senior Consultant, Singapore National Eye CentreVitreo-Retinal Department
- Former Senior Consultant, National University HospitalDepartment of Ophthalmology
Overseas subspecialty training
- 2014 Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and EarAdult and paediatric vitreoretinal diseases, and the bionic eye
“My clinical practice centres on combining advanced surgical techniques with compassionate, individualised care. By collaborating closely with primary care physicians, my goal is to catch retinal conditions early and preserve every patient’s vision.”
What Dr Laurence treats
Conditions of the retina in adults and children, and general eye care.
Diabetic retinopathy
Changes to the retina caused by diabetes, found through diabetic eye screening.
Macular degeneration
Age-related changes at the centre of the retina, often first noticed on an Amsler grid.
Paediatric retina
Retinopathy of prematurity, and retinal detachments and dystrophies in children.
Myopic maculopathy
Damage to the centre of the retina in high short-sightedness, including macular buckling.
Cataract and general eye care
Clouding of the eye’s natural lens, and routine eye examinations.
Qualifications and training
Degrees and fellowships, and the institutions where Dr Laurence trained and previously practised.
Qualifications
- MBBS — Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery National University of Singapore, 2002 — three gold medals
- MRCS — Member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Ophthalmology, 2007
- FRCS — Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh Ophthalmology, 2011
- FAMS — Fellow of the Academy of Medicine Singapore, Ophthalmology, 2011
Training & Previous Appointments
- National University Hospital Senior Consultant, Department of Ophthalmology
- Singapore National Eye Centre Senior Consultant, Vitreo-Retinal Department
- Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Adjunct Assistant Professor
- Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Subspecialty training in paediatric retina and retinal prostheses, 2014
- Changi General Hospital Visiting Consultant, retina surgery
- KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital Visiting Consultant, retina surgery
- Franco-Viet Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City Visiting Consultant, retina surgery
Awards
Conferred by the institutions named, with the year of each.
- 2026 Incredible Care Service Champion (Bronze)National University Hospital
- 2019 Quality Service Award (Gold)SingHealth
- 2014 Healthcare Manpower Development Plan AwardMinistry of Health, Singapore
- 2014 Quality Service Award (Silver)SingHealth
- 2002 Lee Kuan Yew Gold MedalNational University of Singapore
- 2002 Gibbs Gold MedalNational University of Singapore
- 2002 Medical Class of 1975 Book Prize, Obstetrics & GynaecologyNational University of Singapore
- 2001 Medical Class of 1975 Gold Medal, PathologyNational University of Singapore
- 2001 Albert Lim Liat Juay Silver MedalNational University of Singapore
- 2001 ENT Society Book PrizeNational University of Singapore
- 2000 Medical Alumni Association Silver MedalNational University of Singapore
- 1998 Academy of Medicine Silver MedalNational University of Singapore
- 1998 Beecham Silver Medal, PhysiologyNational University of Singapore
- 1998–2002 University Scholar and Dean’s ListNational University of Singapore
Publications
Selected papers and correspondence, most recent first.
6 selected publications
- 2015 Prognostic factor analysis of vitrectomy for myopic foveoschisisBritish Journal of Ophthalmology · Article
- 2012 Age-related macular degenerationThe Lancet · Review
- 2011 Emerging evidence concerning systemic safety of anti-VEGF agents—should ophthalmologists be concerned?American Journal of Ophthalmology · Editorial
- 2011 Fibrate use in the United States and CanadaJAMA · Letter
- 2011 Bevacizumab for retinopathy of prematurityThe New England Journal of Medicine · Letter
- 2010 Mixed messages on systemic therapies for diabetic retinopathyThe Lancet · Letter
Book with Dr Laurence
Tell us your concerns and a time that suits, and we will confirm where and when Dr Laurence next consults.
