Assistant Professor Dr Teoh Swee Chai
Head of School, Optometry | School of Optometry
Academic Qualifications
Doctor of Philosophy
Master in Health Sciences (Optometry)
Bachelor of Optometry (Hons)
Fellow of Higher Education Academy
ACVT, Asia Academy of Behavioural Optometry
Areas of Interest
Myopia and Ocular Growth
Spatial Vision
Light and Circadian Rhythm
VDU and Digital Eye Strain Study
Accommodation and Binocular Vision
Research
- Myopia research, eye growth, light exposure and circadian rhythms, VDU and DES, accommodation and binocular vision, spatial vision
Publications
2025
- The role of light exposure in infant circadian rhythm establishment: A scoping review perspective. European Journal of Pediatrics. 184:112. doi.org/10.1007/s00431-024-05951-3
2023
- Online Learning and Its Short-term Impact on Digital Engagement and Digital-related Health Symptoms Amongst University Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences. 19(3): 138-144.
- Preliminary investigation of digital reading techniques and their impact on eye movement and blinking rate. Healthscope, Vol 6(1): 111-116.
Conferences
- Swee Chai Teoh; Esther Siew Sieng Lau; Satvinder Kaur Nachatar Singh; Saiful Azlan Rosli; Xin Rou Leong. Light Exposure before sleep onset and circadian timing metrics in a group of premyopic children: Baseline Data. ARVO Annual Meeting. Denver, USA. 3 – 7 May 2026. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science June 2026, Vol.67, 270.
- Esther Siew Sieng Lau, Satvinder Kaur, Swee Chai Teoh, Saiful Azlan Bin Rosli, Xin Rou Leong, Yi En Tew, Amelia Lee. Impact of Sleep Quality and Screen Media Use on Body Mass Index among Malaysian Premyopic Preschoolers. 40th Annual Scientific Conference of the Nutrition Society of Malaysia. 29 – 30 July 2025. Kuala Lumpur.
- Katrina L. Schmid, Connor Ace, Brigit Do, Long Huynh, Andrea Kadel, Calvin Nguyen, Minh Tran, Swee Chai Teoh. The effect of different break options on symptoms of digital eye strain. ARVO 2025. Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. 4-8 May 2025.
- Swee Chai Teoh, Michael Collins, Scott Read, & Emily Pieterse. Short-term axial length change and spatial frequency contents of the images. Online presentation at Research Seminar, School of Optometry, Hong Kong Polytechnic University. 6 October 2021.
- Swee Chai Teoh, Michael Collins, Scott Read, & Emily Pieterse. Axial length change with short-term exposure to visual stimuli with a limited range of spatial frequencies. Paper presentation at ARVO 2021, Virtual Meeting. 1-7 May 2021.
- Swee Chai Teoh, Michael Collins, Scott Read. Vision and axial length changes with diffuse and defocus blur. Oral presentation at 2020 CPCN Mini-Conference, University of Queensland, St. Lucia Campus, Australia. 26-27 November 2020.
- Swee Chai Teoh, Michael Collins, Scott Read. The short-term effect of diffuse and defocus blur on axial length and vision. Online presentation at The Optical Society of America, OSA Data Blitz Series. 23 July 2020.
- Swee Chai Teoh, Michael Collins, Scott Read. The short-term effect of diffuse and defocus blur on axial length and vision. (ARVO Abstract). 2020. Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, 61, 2698.
- Swee Chai Teoh, Michael Collins, Scott Read. The effect of diffuse blur on contrast sensitivity and visual acuity. Poster presentation at the 17th International Myopia Conference, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan. 12-15 September 2019
Awards and Recognitions
- Executive Dean’s Commendation for Higher Degree Research, 2021, QUT, Australia
- QUT Writing Scholarship (May – Jun 2021)
- QUT Faculty Scholarship (2019 – Apr 2021)
- Contact Lens and Visual Optics Laboratory Bridging Scholarship (2017 – 2018)
- Anugerah Tesis Cemerlang, UKM, 2007
- Third Prize (Best poster presentation) (Pupil diameter and accommodation functions in Malay myopic population in University students), Seminar Optometri UiTM 2011, Fakulti Sains Kesihatan, Puncak Alam.
- Third Prize (Best Poster presentation) (Visual Display Unit) and its effect on Contrast Sensitivity Among Schoolchildren), 2nd ASEAN Optometric Conference & 2008 Malaysia Optical Fair, Sunway Pyramid Convention Centre, Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa, Subang. 9-10 August 2008.
- Bronze Medal (Poster presentation) (Visual Display Unit (VDU) and Visual Functions Among The Schoolchildren), Ekspo Penyelidikan dan Inovasi. Dectar UKM, Bangi. 14-17 Julai 2005.
- Second Prize (Best poster presentation) (Computer usage does not affect the stability of tear film?), Poster presentation in Pertandingan Poster FSKB, UKM. 22 March 2004.
- Third Prize (Best Poster presentation) (Bagaimanakah pendedahan kepada komputer mempengaruhi daya pemfokusan di kalangan pengguna yang rabun jauh?), Minggu Penyelidikan V, HUKM. 19-26 Julai 2003.
Networks and Collaborations on Research
- Collaboration DES project with QUT, Australia and UiTM, Malaysia
Contributions to Society
- Invited speaker for Leanardo, comprehensive global open learning and education platform by Essilor Luxoticca
- Invited speaker by industry vision care group
- Committee member for different task forces under Malaysian Optical Council in setting professional guidelines and practices
