Working to make vision a reality

Less than four months after the incident, Tao returned to his position. Since it's difficult for him to perform operations like before, these days he pays more attention to his research, public welfare undertakings and popularizing medical knowledge among the public.

"I cannot perform intricate eye surgeries because of the injuries on my hand, but I have never thought of my life as being shadowed by darkness, as I have never ceased my research. Research is a path where the more I go forward, the fewer counterparts I can see. I don't mind walking with a slow pace, but I don't want to stop," Tao said in an interview last year.

Although sometimes showing similar symptoms, eye problems can be caused by numerous factors, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites. It's important for oculists to be able to identify those reasons and treat the patients on the basis of sound judgment, according to Tao.

About a decade ago, he started to study intraocular fluid examination technology, which means that, by drawing a drop of intraocular fluid from a person whose eyes feel uncomfortable, doctors can quickly understand the cause of the problem.

"Traditional ophthalmic lab testing takes at least three days, with an accuracy rate of between 7 and 64 percent. Now we can achieve results in about an hour with a rate of 80 to 90 percent," says Tao.

The technology has been commercialized and applied in nearly 700 hospitals across China, detecting about 70,000 samples taken from people suffering from various unknown eye problems, according to Tao.

Besides accurate detection, he also researches accurate treatments, and hopes that the results of his work can be applied in clinics in the future.

Tao began to take part in public welfare projects in 2009. In his eyes, it's important for a doctor's growth to do so.

"Since being a doctor is a special job, which always treats matters related to people, it cannot be measured by material gains only, but also by a sense of value. Such (welfare) activities help me find that sense of value and remind me of my original aspiration of ensuring a future in which nobody suffers from blindness," says Tao.