19/06/2026
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Many people assume that if they can see clearly, their eyes must be healthy. For Dr. Sangtam Tiakumzuk, that assumption is precisely what makes glaucoma so dangerous.
Dr Tiak, as his colleagues and patients know him, is a Principal Staff Physician in Ophthalmology at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where he has devoted the past 15 years in the subspecialty of glaucoma, a disease that steals sight silently and irreversibly, often without warning. The brain cleverly compensates for missing areas of vision, allowing patients to function normally and remain unaware that anything is wrong. By the time symptoms become noticeable, significant damage may already have occurred - damage that cannot be reversed. It is this silent, invisible nature of glaucoma that makes Dr. Tiakโs role about far more than preserving eyesight. It is about guiding people through uncertainty and helping them protect what matters most.
Convincing someone who feels perfectly healthy to commit to lifelong medications, regular monitoring, and sometimes surgery is no easy task. โPatients often feel well and find it difficult to understand why ongoing treatment and regular follow-up are so important,โ he explains. Rather than simply prescribing treatment and moving on, Dr. Tiak takes the time to sit with his patients. He shows them their scans and test results. He explains what the findings mean, not only medically, but in terms of their everyday lives and future independence. Every decision - whether to observe, begin medication, or consider surgery - is made together.
โBuilding a long-term relationship based on trust is essential,โ he says. And for Dr. Tiak, long-term truly means long-term. He may care for the same patient for years, sometimes decades, coming to understand not only their eye condition but also their fears, family circumstances, and the things they value most in life.
One patient came to him after already losing a significant amount of vision. He was anxious and uncertain about what lay ahead. Together, they navigated treatments and eventually surgery. Years later, the patient shared that being able to continue driving, reading, and remaining independent meant everything to him and his family. โThat conversation reminded me that glaucoma care is about much more than preserving vision on a chart,โ Dr. Tiak reflects. โIt is about preserving a personโs quality of life, independence, and confidence.โ Moments like these remind him why the years of quiet, steady care matter so deeply.
That is what being โin good handsโ means to Dr. Tiak. Not a single consultation. Not a fixed treatment plan. But a commitment to stand beside each patient for as long as they need. โIt is not just about technical expertise,โ he says. โIt is about feeling heard, understood, and supported throughout the journey.โ However long that journey may be, his patients do not walk it alone. These are the hands that stay.
