Dr Rubamalar Gunatheesan : A Surgeon's Quest to Preserve Sight

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What started as a passion for surgery became a desire for ophthalmology during Dr Ruba’s research internship at Johns Hopkins' Wilmer Eye Institute. From her Malaysian ophthalmology training to a highly esteemed fellowship at the Singapore National Eye Center, her journey has been characterized by international mentorship, constant learning, and a patient-centered philosophy.

Today, aside from her technical skills as a surgeon, she advocates for affordable eye care, performing subsidized cataract surgeries and lobbying for subsidized care for retinal illnesses.

In an interview with The Global Woman Leader magazine, Dr Ruba recounts her professional journey, providing insight into what it really means to safeguard vision.

 Take us through your early life and key influences growing up.

 I spent my formative years in Malaysia with my parents and two sisters. My parents, both of whom are general practitioners have influenced my life greatly. They run a GP practice with three clinics in Johor Bahru. Their work has touched many lives. They are well-known, well-loved, and have provided cost-effective, accessible healthcare. Growing up around doctors, exposed me to the impact healthcare can have on people’s lives. Seeing the impact of their work inspired me to help others and become a doctor  myself. Whether it was witnessing my father volunteer and provide free health checks to the Old Folks Home in JB or the way my mother patiently explained how to holistically manage one’s chronic illnesses like diabetes or hypertension. 

Being close to my extended family helped shape me into a people’s person, which is a quality that’s essential in medicine. Coming from a large, dynamic family prepared me to interact with a wide range of personalities, which parallels the experience of working with diverse patients and colleagues.

"Believe in yourself and your skills, and stay as cool as a cucumber"

Take us through your education journey. How has your career evolved over time?

I completed my primary and A-level education in Singapore, then earned a six-year medical degree at the University of Melbourne. During my studies, I spent a year at Oxford researching tuberculosis diagnostics. After qualifying as a general doctor, I specialized in ophthalmology because it combines medical and surgical care. While pursuing an MBA and a graduate degree in Health Administration and Policy in Chicago, I did a research internship at Johns Hopkins’ Wilmer Eye Institute. This was the turning point which opened my eyes to the amazing world of Ophthalmology. I realized the amazing ability ophthalmologists possess to restore and preserve vision, which can essentially alter the course of a person’s life. 

Currently, I focus on managing retinal diseases like diabetic macular edema, diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusions while also treating other general eye conditions and performing surgeries such as cataract removal. I trained and now practice at Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital in Kuala Lumpur, completed the UK Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in 2018, and subspecialized in medical retina with a fellowship at Singapore National Eye Center. Since starting ophthalmology training in 2014, it’s been a challenging but fulfilling journey.

 Introduce the Tun Hussein Onn Eye Hospital and its procedures. 

Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital is one of Malaysia’s earliest and most respected multidisciplinary eye centers, with specialists across subspecialties such as cornea, glaucoma, retina (medical and surgical), and oculoplastics.

I perform many cataract surgeries, pterygium removals (including conjunctival autografts), and minor procedures like chalazion curettage. In medical retina, I regularly give intravitreal anti-VEGF  injections and perform laser treatments for conditions like diabetic macular edema, diabetic retinopathy, and wet AMD.

 What challenges do you face as a surgeon in Malaysia, and how do you navigate through them?

There are definite challenges in Malaysia, especially around patient insurance and financial support. For insured patients, treatment and follow-ups are manageable, but many lack insurance, making surgeries and ongoing care costly. Subsidizing these patients is a major issue, as is encouraging them to attend follow-ups. In Malaysia we are still striving towards the ideal of making world class standards of care accessible to everyone.

At Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital, we run cataract campaigns with charities like the Lions Club offering greatly subsidized and free cataract surgeries to our patients. As a trainee ophthalmologist, I’ve performed surgeries under supervision, helping reduce costs. However, challenges remain for conditions needing repeated treatments such as intravitreal injections for conditions like diabetic macular edema or macular degeneration, which lack structured subsidy programs.

 What key milestones have you achieved, and what is your success mantra?

During my MBA in Business Administration and Healthcare Policy at Chicago Booth, I received the Ambassador Award for academic excellence and active representation of the school. I also won the Rice Business Plan Competition for a neural network based AI platform to support breast cancer imaging, which is an innovation outside ophthalmology but rooted in medical advancement.

Additionally, I earned the Chicago Booth Leadership Challenge award and the Diana K. Temple merit based scholarship for both my business and medical research endeavors. I have always believed the team and the community are pivotal in any collaborative work environment. Whether in the operating theatre or the clinic, a strong cohesive team ensures best patient outcomes and success. I was also one of the speakers at the 5th International Ophthalmic Conclave 2025 for Women Ophthalmologists Worldwide (WOW) Session. I spoke about the ‘Power of Networking’ and the rigors of Ophthalmology training. 

My guiding principle is simple: always put the patient first. Respect the eye, preserve vision, and never lose sight of why we became ophthalmologists. Equally vital is self-belief — my mantra is: I got this, I know this, I can do this. Whether in surgery or in clinic, calm confidence and clarity always lead the way.

How is the Malaysian healthcare and ophthalmology landscape evolving? What key trends do you foresee?

Malaysian patients are demanding more efficient, faster, and better healthcare in comfortable settings. In ophthalmology, follow-ups will become streamlined. Patients could receive updates via phone, reducing wait times and giving them more control over their care.

AI will enhance healthcare, starting with more efficient in-clinic monitoring and eventually enabling home-based eye status monitoring.

In the broader system, greater collaboration between public and private sectors is expected. This would improve access and quality, allowing private providers to offer affordable care to lower-income patients while maintaining sustainability— a win-win for all. 

 Dr Rubamalar Gunatheesan, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital

Dr Rubamalar Gunatheesan is an eye surgeon and a medical retina specialist by profession with academic background in MBBS, BMedSc, FRCOphth, Fellowship in Medical Retina at SNEC. She specialises in Retinal Conditions, Intravitreal Injection, Retinal Laser Photocoagulation and cataract surgery. She also treats general eye conditions such as dry eyes, allergic conjunctivitis, meiboimian gland dysfynction, and glaucoma. She also performs pterygium excision with conjunctival autograft, chalazion incision and currettage