Dr Carol YL CHEUNG
Associate Professor
BSc (HKU), MPhil (HKU), PhD (Bham)





Contact :
(852) 3943 0791









Academic AppointmentsAssociate Professor, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong







BiographyDr CHEUNG’s main research interest is “imaging of the eye”, based on the concept that the eyes are the “window” to the human circulation and nervous systems. She has been working in the field of ocular imaging for more than 10 years both in Hong Kong and in Singapore, focusing on development and application of image analysis techniques and artificial intelligence (AI) for studying diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, and Alzheimer’s disease. The findings from her studies have impacted on understanding of major irreversible eye diseases leading to a more targeted and effective screening strategy and risk assessment for prevention of blindness using state-of-the-art ocular imaging technology, which has immense potential to lead to impactful benefits to both science and society. Dr CHEUNG has authored more than 220 original research articles and 25 review articles in SCI international indexed peer reviewed journals, and 12 book chapters.

Research AreasUsing ocular imaging technology and artificial intelligence to study human circulation and nervous systems, and link with eye, brain and cardiovascular diseases, in particular, diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease and stroke.




Academic Activities
Editorial Board Member Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Editorial Board Member The Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology
Secretary-General Asia-Pacific Ocular Imaging Society
Secretary Research Standing Committee, Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology
Member Multidisciplinary Ophthalmic Imaging (MOI) cross-sectional group, the Annual Meeting Program Committee (AMPC), Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
Council Board Member and Treasurer Asia-Pacific Tele-Ophthalmology Society
Honorary Member Retinal Vascular Disease Committee, Cross-strait Medical and Health Exchange Association
委员 中国医药教育协会智能医学专业委员会智能眼科学组





Research Highlights
Research ProgrammesDevelopment and application of image analysis techniques and artificial intelligence (AI) for eye disease detection and prognosis.
Implementation of AI algorithms in Hong Kong’s public hospitals to support eye disease screening, triaging and referral pathway for timely eye disease treatment and management.
Identification of new imaging subclinical makers for predicting diabetic retinopathy progression.
The role of vascular imaging markers in normal tension glaucoma.
Development of risk prediction algorithms based on imaging measures for stratifying patients into different risk categories.
Retinal ganglion cell and microvascular network imaging in Alzheimer’s disease.
Linking age-related eye disease and Alzheimer’s disease.


Results of NoteDeveloped and validated AI-based algorithms for eye disease classification.
Developed and validated different methods to quantify retinal vasculature and capillary network.
Showed that retinal vascular assessment can provide additional prognostic information on retinopathy risk prediction in persons with diabetes.
Demonstrated retinal imaging is a promising tool to study brain diseases including Alzheimer’s disease and stroke.
Received competitive research grant funding from General Research Fund (GRF), HKSAR Food and Health Bureau, and BrightFocus Foundation.


Representative Publications:Cheung CY, Xu D, Cheng CY, Sabanayagam C, Tham YC, Yu M, Rim TH, Chai CY, Gopinath B, Mitchell P, Poulton R, Moffitt TE, Caspi A, Yam JC, Tham CC, Jonas JB, Wang YX, Song SJ, Burrell LM, Farouque O, Li LJ, Tan G, Ting DSW, Hsu W, Lee ML, Wong TY. A deep-learning system for the assessment of cardiovascular disease risk via the measurement of retinal-vessel calibre. Nat Biomed Eng. (In press 2020)
Cheung CY, Li SL, Chan PPM, Chan NCY, Tan S, Man X, Tham CC. Intraocular pressure control and visual field changes in primary angle closure disease: the CUHK PACG Longitudinal (CUPAL) study. Br J Ophthalmol. 2020 May;104(5):629-635.
Milea D, Najjar RP, Zhubo J, Ting D, Vasseneix C, Xu X, Aghsaei Fard M, Fonseca P, Vanikieti K, Lagrèze WA, La Morgia C, Cheung CY, Hamann S, Chiquet C, Sanda N, Yang H, Mejico LJ, Rougier M-B, Kho R, Thi Ha Chau T, Singhal S, Gohier P, Clermont-Vignal C, Cheng C-Y, Jonas JB, Yu-Wai-Man P, Fraser CL, Chen JJ, Ambika S, Miller NR, Liu Y, Newman NJ, Wong TY, Biousse V; BONSAI Group. Artificial Intelligence to Detect Papilledema from Ocular Fundus Photographs. N Engl J Med. 2020 Apr 30;382(18):1687-1695.
Wang X, Chen H, Ran AR, Luo L, Chan PP, Tham CC, Chang RT, Mannil SS, Cheung CY, Heng PA. Towards Multi-center Glaucoma OCT Image Screening with Semi-supervised Joint Structure and Function Multi-task Learning Medical Image Analysis. Medical Image Analysis. 2020 Jul;63:101695.
Sun Z, Tang F, Wong R, Lok J, Szeto SKH, Chan JCK, Chan CKM, Tham CC, Ng DS, Cheung CY*. OCT Angiography Metrics Predict Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy and Development of Diabetic Macular Edema: A Prospective Study. Ophthalmology. 2019 Dec;126(12):1675-1684.
Ran AR, Cheung CY*, Wang X, Chen H, Luo LY, Chan PP, Chang RT, Mannil SS, Young AL, Pang CP, Heng PA, Tham CC. Detection of glaucomatous optic neuropathy with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography: a retrospective training and validation deep-learning analysis. The Lancet Digital Health. 2019;1(4):e172-e82.
Ran AR, Shi J, Ngai AK, Chan WY, Chan PP, Young AL, Yung HW, Tham CC, Cheung CY*. Artificial intelligence deep learning algorithm for discriminating ungradable optical coherence tomography three-dimensional volumetric optic disc scans. Neurophotonics. 2019 Oct;6(4):041110.
Chan VTT, Sun Z, Tang S, Chen LJ, Wong A, Tham CC, Wong TY, Chen C, Ikram MK, Whitson HE, Lad EM, Mok V, Cheung CY*. Spectral Domain-Optical Coherence Tomography Measurements in Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Ophthalmology. 2019 Apr;126(4):497-510.
Cheung CY, Tang F, Ting DSW, Tan GSW, Wong TY. Artificial Intelligence in Diabetic Eye Disease Screening. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2019 Mar;8(2):158-164
Cheung CY*, Tang F, Ng DS, Wong R, Lok J, Sun Z, Tso T, Lam A, Brelén M, Chong KK, Luk AO, Chan JC, Wong TY, Tham CC. The Relationship of Quantitative Retinal Capillary Network to Kidney Function in Type 2 Diabetes. Am J Kidney Dis. 2018 Jun;71(6):916-918.
Cheung CY, Li J, Yuan N, Lau GYL, Chan AYF, Lam A, Tang FY, Tham CC, Pang CP, Chen LJ, Yam JC. Quantitative retinal microvasculature in children using swept-source optical coherence tomography: the Hong Kong Children Eye Study. Br J Ophthalmol. 2018 Jun 28;bjophthalmol-2018-312413.
Cheung CY, Li SL, Chan N, Wong M, Chan P, Lai I, Baig N, Tan S, Man X, Tang F, Wang YM, Tham CC. Factors Associated with Long-Term Intraocular Pressure Fluctuation in Primary Angle Closure Disease: The CUHK PACG Longitudinal (CUPAL) Study. J Glaucoma. 2018 Aug;27(8):703-710.
Tang F, Sun Z, Wong R, Lok J, Lam A, Tham CC, Chan CK, Mohamed S, Lam TC, Szeto SK, Ng DS, Cheung CY*. Relationship of intercapillary area with visual acuity in diabetes mellitus: an optical coherence tomography angiography study. Br J Ophthalmol. 2018 Jun 4;bjophthalmol-2017-312010
Ting DS, Cheung CY, Lim G, Tan GS, Quang ND, Gan A, Hamzah H, Garcia-Franco R, Yeo IY, Lee SY, Wong EY, Sabanyagam C, Mani B, Ibrahim F, Tan NC, Finkelstein EA, Lamoureux EL, Wong IY, Bressler N, Sivaprasad S, Varma R, Jonas JB, He MG, Cheng CY, Cheung GC, Aung T, Hsu W, Lee ML, Wong TY. Development and Validation of a Deep Learning System for Diabetic Retinopathy and related Eye Diseases using Retinal Images from Multi-ethnic Populations with Diabetes. JAMA. 2017 Dec 12;318(22):2211-2223.
Cheung CY*, Ikram MK, Chen C, Wong TY. Imaging Retina to Study Dementia and Stroke. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2017 Mar;57:89-107.
Tang FY, Ng DS, Lam A, Luk F, Wong R, Chan C, Mohamed S, Fong A, Lok J, Tso T, Lai F, Brelen M, Wong TY, Tham CCC, Cheung CY*. Determinants of Quantitative Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Metrics in Patients with Diabetes. Sci Rep. 2017 May 31; 7(1):2575.
(* corresponding author)
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