Dr. Li Ningdong performing complex pediatric strabismus surgery at Beijing Jingdu Children's Hospital
Recently, at Beijing Jingdu Children's Hospital, Dr. Li Ningdong, distinguished ophthalmology expert, completed three complex strabismus correction surgeries in a single day, working seamlessly with the anesthesiology team. The cases were diverse, challenging, and included children with prior ocular surgeries or systemic diseases, highlighting the hospital's strong multidisciplinary capabilities.
Three Challenging Cases, One Shared Goal
Case 1: Infant with Congenital Esotropia and Cataract
An 8-month-old infant presented with bilateral congenital esotropia complicated by unilateral congenital cataract, with a noticeable "crossed-eye" appearance before surgery.
Case 2: Child with Prior Cataract Surgery and Complex Misalignment
A 6-year-old child had previously undergone bilateral congenital cataract surgery at two months of age. The child now had dissociated vertical deviation (DVD) accompanied by exotropia, requiring careful surgical planning.
Case 3: Hemophilia Child Traveling from Hainan
The most complex case involved a child with hemophilia (Factor VIII deficiency). At age 4, the child had undergone left eye congenital pupillary membrane excision performed by Director Liang Tianwei. Due to insufficient postoperative amblyopia training, the child developed disuse exotropia combined with DVD. The family traveled from Hainan specifically to seek treatment at Beijing Jingdu Children's Hospital.
Comprehensive pediatric ophthalmology examination supports precise surgical planning
Multidisciplinary Collaboration for a High-Risk Surgery
The hemophilia case required particularly close coordination. At the time of surgery, the hospital's Factor VIII inventory was insufficient. The pharmacy team urgently arranged a drug transfer, while the laboratory opened a rapid testing channel to enable "sample-to-result" seamless coordination with the operating room. Anesthesiology and ophthalmology worked hand-in-hand to precisely avoid blood vessels during the procedure.
Thanks to this well-coordinated multidisciplinary effort, the surgery was completed successfully. The child's eye alignment was corrected beautifully, and the parents were moved to tears: "Finally, our child won't face strange looks from others anymore!"
Advanced surgical microscopy supports precision in complex pediatric eye surgery
"Complex strabismus treatment must balance both function and aesthetics. Especially for children with systemic diseases, multidisciplinary team support is essential."
About Dr. Li Ningdong
Dr. Li Ningdong is a chief physician, medical doctor, and graduate supervisor. He is a member of the Neuro-Ophthalmology Group of the Chinese Medical Association and Chinese Medical Doctor Association Ophthalmology Branch, an ARVO member, a reviewer for the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Beijing Natural Science Foundation, and a corresponding editor for the Chinese Journal of Experimental Ophthalmology.
He completed postdoctoral training at the National Eye Institute, NIH, and was a senior visiting scholar at the Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins Hospital. He formerly served as Vice Director of Ophthalmology at Beijing Children's Hospital (National Center for Children's Health), Director of Ophthalmology at Capital Institute of Pediatrics Children's Hospital, and Executive Vice Director of Tianjin Eye Institute. He is currently Director of Strabismus and Pediatric Ophthalmology at Shanghai General Hospital and Chief Distinguished Ophthalmology Expert at Beijing Jingdu Children's Hospital.
Dr. Li has led three National Natural Science Foundation of China projects, won first prize for Tianjin Science and Technology Progress Award and second prize for Natural Science Award, and published more than 100 academic papers, including 37 SCI-indexed articles.
Areas of Expertise
- Children's visual development and genetic eye diseases
- Diagnosis and treatment of strabismus and amblyopia
- Complex strabismus surgery and reoperation repair
- Nystagmus, congenital fibrosis of extraocular muscles
- Complex vertical strabismus including DVD and superior oblique palsy
- Non-surgical treatment of intermittent exotropia and occlusion therapy for amblyopia
Dr. Li is one of the few domestic surgeons to have performed more than 10,000 strabismus operations. His surgical technique is characterized by minimal trauma, short operative time, and mild postoperative reactions, with many children under 2 years old able to open their eyes soon after surgery.
Pediatric Ophthalmology at Jingdu
The Department of Ophthalmology at Beijing Jingdu Children's Hospital brings together elite pediatric eye specialists from top tertiary hospitals including Peking University People's Hospital. It integrates specialized outpatient services, inpatient care, ophthalmic examinations, optometry and glasses center, orthokeratology fitting, amblyopia training, and visual rehabilitation into a comprehensive pediatric ophthalmology service.
The department is a designated center for neonatal and premature infant fundus screening in northern Beijing, as well as for diagnosis and treatment of ocular complications related to hematological diseases. It provides diagnosis and treatment for refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism), strabismus, amblyopia, adolescent myopia control, common pediatric eye diseases, infantile nasolacrimal duct obstruction, premature infant and newborn fundus screening, and transplant-related eye conditions.
Under the leadership of Professor Wang Lejin's expert team from Peking University People's Hospital, the department performs various complex strabismus correction surgeries, ptosis correction, and entropion correction.
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