My specialities

I decided to become an Ophthalmologist soon after entering medical school because I was attracted to the mix of personal human interaction, amazing technology, medicine and delicate microsurgery, as well as the life changing results that eye surgery regularly delivers.

Practising as an eye surgeon and helping to make a positive difference to the lives of people with potentially blinding eye conditions is an immensely rewarding privilege and something that I find constantly humbling. My greatest satisfaction comes from helping patients with sight threatening conditions either achieve or maintain their independence.

Medical retina and Vitreoretinal surgery 

I have always enjoyed working with my hands, and retinal surgery is arguably the most intricate form of surgery there is. It involves operating under high magnification using a surgical microscope and is highly dependent on modern technology. When performing retinal surgery, I am surrounded by high tech equipment and the sensation is very much like that of being a pilot behind the cockpit of a modern airplane surrounded by brightly lit instruments . As a technology enthusiast I love that aspect of it.

As a retinal specialist, the conditions that I treat most commonly include macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusions, diabetic retinopathy, epiretinal membranes, retinal detachments, floaters, and macular holes.

Cataract Surgery and Laser Cataract Surgery

Vision Eye Institute in Chatswood installed the very first femtosecond laser for cataract surgery in the Southern Hemisphere. I was fortunate enough to be amongst the first group of surgeons to perform the new technique of laser cataract surgery and the first surgeon in the world to combine laser cataract surgery with retinal surgery. Laser cataract surgery is an exciting technique that offers potential benefits in terms of safety and accuracy over traditional methods of cataract surgery.

To read more about cataract surgery and laser cataract surgery, please click here.

To read more about Dr Simon Chen’s specialisation in cataract surgery, please click here. 

Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Age related macular degeneration (often called AMD for short) is a common condition that affects many people as they get older. 1 in 7 people over the age of 50 years and 1 in 3 over the age of 75 will have signs of AMD. It is caused by a combination of genetic (inherited) and environmental factors such as diet and smoking. In the last 10 years major advances in the understanding and treatment of AMD have occurred.

To read more about AMD, please click here.

Retinal Surgery

We now use keyhole surgery techniques that typically avoid the need for stitches, so the recovery following retinal surgery is quicker and much more comfortable compared to more traditional methods. 

Read more about Dr. Simon Chen

Dr Simon Chen

Retinal specialist Dr Chen answers questions that he is frequently asked.

Click on image to view video.