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Assistant Professor Tham Yih Chung

Lead, Optometry Education, Centre for Innovation & Precision Eye Health
Co-lead, Population Data Science, Centre for Innovation & Precision Eye Health

PhD

  Email    Google Scholar    Linkedin    Website 

Research Interests and Achievements

Dr Tham is a clinically trained-optometrist with PhD training in ocular epidemiology from the National University of Singapore. He is currently an Assistant Professor (tenure-track) at the Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine. His other roles and portfolios include: Population Data Science Co-lead and Optometry Education Program Director for the Centre of Innovation & Precision Eye Health; and Clinician Scientist at the Singapore Eye Research Institute.

His research scope focuses on visual impairment, age-related eye diseases, ocular imaging and deep learning. As project PI, he drives new AI-related projects, develop new AI solutions to screen for visual impairment and major age-related eye diseases in the community. These AI projects involve both upstream development and downstream implementation evaluations. In the area of epidemiology, he is one of the founding member of the Asian Eye Epidemiology Consortium (AEEC), and a core member of the Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases (SEED) study.

To date, Dr Tham has published over 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers in notable journals such as Lancet Digital Health, Nature Biomedical Engineering, Nature Aging, Ophthalmology, JAMA Ophthalmology, British Journal of Ophthalmology etc. His past accolades include the the NUS' President Graduate Fellowship Award, and the National Medical Research Council's Transition Award (TA) and HPHSR Clinician Scientist Award (HCSA).


Selected Publications

  • Tham YC, Goh JH, Anees A, Lei X, Tim TH, Chee MAL. Wang YX Jonas JB, Thakur S, Teo ZL, Cheung N, Hamzah H, Tan GS, Husian R , Sabanayagam C, Wang JJ, Chen Q, Lu Z, Keenan TD, Chey EY, Tan AG, Mitchell P, Goh RS, Xu A, Liu Y, Wong TY, Cheng CY. Detecting visually significant cataract using retinal photograph-based deep learning. Nature Aging. 2022;2:264-271. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-022-00171-6
  • Tham YC, Anees A, Zhang L, Goh JHL, Rim TH, Nusinovici S, Hamzah H, Chee ML, Tjio G, Li S, Xu X, Goh R, Tang F, Cheung CY, Wang YX, Nangia V, Jonas JB, Gopinath B, Mitchell P, Husain R, Lamoureux E, Sabanayagam C, Wang JJ, Aung T, Liu Y, Wong TY, Cheng CY. Referral for disease-related visual impairment using retinal photograph-based deep learning: a proof-of-concept, model development study. Lancet Digit Health. 2021;3(1):e29-e40. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(20)30271-5
  • Teo ZL*, Tham YC*, Yu M, Chee ML, Rim TH, Cheung N, Bikbov MM, Wang YX, Tang Y, Lu Y, Wong IY, Ting DSW, Tan GSW, Jonas JB, Sabanayagam C, Wong TY, Cheng CY. Global Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy and Projection of Burden through 2045: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Ophthalmology.2021 Nov;128(11):1580-1591. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2021.04.027 *Co-first author
  • Rim TH*, Lee CJ*, Tham YC*, Cheung N, Yu M, Lee G, Kim Y, Ting DSW, Chong CCY, Choi YS, Yoo TK, Ryu IH, Baik SJ, Kim YA, Kim SK, Lee SH, Lee BK, Kang SM, Wong EYM, Kim HC, Kim SS*, Park S*, Cheng CY*, Wong TY*. Deep-learning-based cardiovascular risk stratification using coronary artery calcium scores predicted from retinal photographs. Lancet Digit Health. 2021;3(5):e306-e316. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(21)00043-1 *Co-first author
  • Fang XL, Deshmukh M, Chee ML, Soh ZD, Teo ZL, Thakur S, Goh JHL, Liu YC, Husain R, Mehta J, Wong TY, Cheng CY, Rim TH, Tham YC. Deep learning algorithms for automatic detection of pterygium using anterior segment photographs from slit-lamp and hand-held cameras. Br J Ophthalmol. 2022 Dec;106(12):1642-1647. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2021-318866
  • Gunasekeran DV*, Tham YC*, Ting DSW, Tan GSW, Wong TY. Digital health during COVID-19: lessons from operationalising new models of care in ophthalmology. Lancet Digit Health. 2021 Feb;3(2):e124-e134. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(20)30287-9 *Co-first author
  • Rim TH*, Lee G*, Kim Y*, Tham YC*, Lee CJ, Baik SJ, Kim YA, Yu M, Deshmukh M, Lee BK, Park S, Kim HC, Sabayanagam C, Ting DSW, Wang YX, Jonas JB, Kim SS, Wong TY, Cheng CY. Prediction of systemic biomarkers from retinal photographs development and validation of deep-learning algorithms. Lancet Digit Health. 2020;2(10):e526-e536. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2589-7500(20)30216-8 *Co-first author
  • Lim ZW, Chee ML, Soh ZD, Cheung N, Dai W, Sahil T, Tao Y, Majithia S, Sabanayagam C, Chen CL, Wong TY, Cheng CY, Tham YC. Association Between Visual Impairment and Decline in Cognitive Function in a Multiethnic Asian Population. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Apr 1;3(4):e203560. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.3560
  • Tham YC, Li X, Wong TY, Quigley HA, Aung T, Cheng CY. Global prevalence of glaucoma and projections of glaucoma burden through 2040: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ophthalmology. 2014;121(11):2081-2090. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ophtha.2014.05.013

Collaborations

View more details on the collaborations here