Singaore Eye Research Institute (SERI) and six public hospitals have joined hands to launch SOpRaNo to collaborate on research and provide overall improvements to local eye healthcare.

SERI, CGH, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, KKH, NUH, TTSH, Jurong Health and SNEC signed an MOU on Friday to ink the agreement between the institutions.

With the official opening of SERI's new home, The Academia, the building now allows researchers from the SOpRaNo network to utilise the various technology and facilities offered within. Executive Director of SERI, Professor Aung Tin said in an interview, "We have always been working closely with the institutions within this network over the years. The new facility now allows us to carry out our research under one roof and this will now provide better eye research and a more convenient and conducive environment for our researchers".

Dr Rahat Husain from Singapore National Eye Centre said, "This is an exciting time for research in Ophthalmology in Singapore. This collaboration between the hospitals will impriove the scope and quality of research in the years to come".

With this network formed, the focus of the researchers will be targeted mainly at glaucoma and myopia with these being the largest eye problems affecting Singaporeans.