Profiles of SO recipients

Mr Lawrence Kwan Ka-ho has made significant contributions to the optometry and medical aesthetics industries by leveraging his background as an optometrist along with his entrepreneurial spirit, cross-cultural skills, and organisational expertise. Mr Kwan began his career as a private practice optometrist before dedicating himself to professional development in optometry at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He launched PolyU’s first Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Project and expanded the Optometry Clinic to promote clinical teaching, research and development, and public services. Transitioning to the business world, Mr Kwan joined Johnson & Johnson, where he took on more commercial responsibilities and gained exposure across Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia. As a strategic visionary, he established clinical education institutes and spearheaded national eye health programmes in Malaysia and Taiwan, raising awareness and professional standards in optometry. Mr Kwan’s commercial acumen contributed to Johnson & Johnson’s Vision Care sector, spanning professional development; sales; marketing; goods and service tax implementation in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Malaysia; Asia-Pacific quality; and the Global Myopia Project. His professionalism and ability to navigate market dynamics have led him to his current role as Managing Director for Greater China at Cynosure, a US-based medical aesthetics company.

Before he even began his undergraduate studies in optometry, Dr Chin Man-pan was already deeply engaged in volunteering,  serving as President of the Hong Kong Youth Volunteer Association. Even when pursuing his PhD, his passion for helping others never waned. Instead, he used his expertise in optometry and visual science to continue his volunteer work, leading undergraduate students to remote regions of China, such as Guangxi, Gansu, and Xinjiang to provide primary eye care services. Dr Chin currently serves as President of The Hong Kong Society of Professional Optometrists, promoting community-based primary eye care. Beyond his academic and professional commitments, he has also forged strong collaborations with multiple non-governmental organisations and centres for the elderly to expand access to eye care services. He has also started his own optometric community clinic, ensuring that local residents can receive professional eye care close to home. Dr Chin has seamlessly combined his professional knowledge and skills with an unwavering commitment to serving and bettering his community.