Death of Arthur Lim

He was a strong supporter of the Asia-Pacific Acady of Ophthalmology, serving as its president, secretary-general and contributing to its global development.
“Arthur Lim was the most influential figure in the development of ophthalmology in the Asia-Pacific region. He collaborated with colleagues in Australia and New Zealand, most notably Ian Constable and Frank Billson, in establishing microsurgery courses to bring modern cataract and other surgical procedures to the developing world. He established an eye hospital in Tianjin, China, and supported it not only with his work but financially,” Sydney ophthalmologist and immediate-past president of the APAO, Dr Frank Martin, said.
“He was a giant in ophthalmology and is responsible for the strength of the APAO in world ophthalmology.”
Professor Ian Constable, foundation Lions Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Western Australia (1975), founder and managing director of the Lions Eye Institute in WA (1983 to 2009) and consultant retinal surgeon at Royal Perth, Sir Charles Gairdner and Princess Margaret hospitals, commented:
“Arthur Lim harboured a personal vision to raise the quality of ophthalmology in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region to world-best standard all his professional life.
“He trained in Moorfields then set up a flourishing practice. He was a great teacher and set up microsurgical courses all over Asia.
“He set up his own publishing firm and wrote numerous practical textbooks in many languages. He drove the fledgling Asia-Pacific Acady of Ophthalmology as secretary-general to include all nations in the region. He raised the funding, ensured major government backing and built the Singapore National Centre. He set up large-scale cataract training programmes in China, largely with his own money.
“Through all this Arthur nurtured a fond relationship with Australia and New Zealand. His two daughters were educated here and one stayed permanently in each country.”An icon and founding father of modern Singapore, Arthur Lim will be fondly rbered.”