Check a children's eye specialist is registered (MMC, NSR)

Key takeaways

Search the doctor's name on the Malaysian Medical Council register (MeRITS) first, then on the National Specialist Register (NSR) to confirm the specialty.
NSR entry is a legal requirement for practising as a specialist under the Medical (Amendment 2012) Act 1971, and a specialist still needs a yearly practising certificate (APC).
The NSR pages read on 21 October 2026 list Ophthalmology as the only eye entry. They show no separate paediatric ophthalmology line, so ask the doctor about children's eye training directly.
Optometrists and opticians are not doctors. They register with the Malaysian Optical Council under the Optical Act 1991 and must display their current APC at their premises.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology says eye exercises will not improve vision or reduce the need for glasses. Be wary of anyone selling them as a cure for myopia.
Dr Chan Li Yen is a paediatric ophthalmologist, and you can search her name on both registers in the same way as any other doctor.

Search the doctor's name on the Malaysian Medical Council's public register (MeRITS) to confirm that person is a registered doctor, then on the National Specialist Register (NSR) to confirm they are registered as a specialist in ophthalmology. Both searches are free and take a few minutes on a phone.

That is the whole check, and this page walks through each step, what the two official pages actually show, how an optometrist or optician is registered differently, what to ask at the first appointment and which warning signs mean you should look elsewhere. A paediatric ophthalmologist is an eye doctor who has trained further in children's eyes. What is a paediatric ophthalmologist? explains the role itself.

Why do I need to check two registers?

Because they answer two different questions. MeRITS, run by the Malaysian Medical Council, is the register of doctors. The NSR, also kept by the Malaysian Medical Council, is the register of doctors who are allowed to practise as specialists.

The NSR's own pages say that entry on the register is a legal requirement under the Medical (Amendment 2012) Act 1971. A person whose name is not on it may not practise as a specialist in that specialty, and doing so is a matter for the Council's disciplinary jurisdiction. The NSR also says it is separate from the annual practising certificate (APC): a specialist still has to hold a current APC each year.

So a doctor can be properly registered in MeRITS and still not be a registered specialist. Being a general doctor is a perfectly good thing to be. It just is not the same as being an ophthalmologist.

How do I search the Malaysian Medical Council register (MeRITS)?

Open merits.mmc.gov.my, choose "Search Registered Doctor" and enter the doctor's name. The search page, as read on 21 October 2026, offered fields for name, where the doctor graduated, place of practice, type of registration (full or provisional) and a TPC number.

The steps are short.

Go to https://merits.mmc.gov.my/ and tap "Search Registered Doctor".
Type the name as it appears on the clinic's website or door, then search. Try a shorter version of the name if nothing comes up.
Open the entry and check it is full registration and that the place of practice makes sense.
Do not stop here for a specialist. This step only shows the person is a registered doctor.

The page gives no further instructions, so what is shown for each doctor can change. If you cannot find a name, ask the clinic for the doctor's MMC registration number and try again.

How do I search the National Specialist Register, and does it list paediatric ophthalmology?

Go to the NSR Specialist Search page (nsr.org.my, menu item "Specialist Search") and search by name, registration number, town or state. For a children's eye doctor, the register should show the specialty Ophthalmology. The NSR pages read on 21 October 2026 show Ophthalmology as the only eye entry, with no separate paediatric ophthalmology line.

That second point surprises parents. The NSR's "List of Specialties and Fields of Practice" has paediatric entries for several other specialties, such as paediatric cardiology and paediatric surgery, but under Ophthalmology the field of practice is simply Ophthalmology. The field list on the Specialist Search page likewise has one Ophthalmology entry. Neither page shows a paediatric ophthalmology entry.

What that means in practice: the register can confirm that a person is a registered ophthalmologist. On the pages read, it does not confirm a children's subspecialty. For that, ask the doctor about the further training they did and where, and read the clinic's own description. The Malaysian Society of Ophthalmology also lists ophthalmologists, and finding a children's eye specialist in KL and Selangor has the practical routes.

The NSR site states that it is freely available to the public, so no account or fee is needed. Dr Chan Li Yen is a paediatric ophthalmologist, and you can search her name on both registers in the same way as any other doctor.

Is an optometrist or optician registered the same way?

No. Optometrists and opticians are not doctors and are registered under a different law, the Optical Act 1991, with the Malaysian Optical Council (MOC), not the Medical Council. An optometrist measures vision and prescribes glasses. An ophthalmologist is a medical doctor who looks at the health of the eye itself.

The Act defines an ophthalmologist as a person registered under the Medical Act 1971 who specialises in the care of eye conditions, and it requires anyone practising optometry to be a registered person. The MOC's registration page says registration of an optician or optometrist is open to anyone aged 18 or over with a qualification listed in the Act's schedules.

There is a practical check. The MOC's page on the annual practising certificate says every registered optometrist and optician must display the current year's APC at the premises, in a place customers can easily see. Look for it at the kedai cermin mata. If you cannot see it, ask. The MOC's registration unit is the office to contact with questions: 03-8883 1394. The MOC pages read show no public name search.

None of this makes the shop or the optometrist a lesser choice for what they do. It means a registered optometrist and a registered eye specialist do different jobs. Who can check my child's eyes in Malaysia? sets out who does what, and when a child should go straight to a doctor.

What should I ask at the first appointment?

Ask three plain questions: "Are you registered as a specialist in ophthalmology?", "Did you train specifically in children's eyes, and where?" and "What will today's visit include?" A registered doctor can answer all three without hesitation and does not mind you checking.

Registration: ask for the MMC number and look the name up yourself, before or after the visit.
Training: a paediatric subspecialty usually means a fellowship after ophthalmology training, according to AAPOS. Ask what the doctor completed.
The visit: whether drops will be used to measure the eyes, how long the visit takes and what you will receive afterwards.
Records: ask for a written summary of the findings and any prescription, which also helps if you are referred onward.

If you are using the public system, asking for a referral covers the letter you need and what to bring.

What are the red flags?

The main red flag is a doctor who cannot be found on MeRITS, or who is advertised as a specialist but does not appear on the NSR. The second is anyone who sells an eye exercise programme or device as a way to cure short-sightedness (myopia) or to take your child out of glasses.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology says plainly that eye exercises will not improve or preserve vision or reduce the need for glasses. It adds that they may help a particular problem, convergence insufficiency, where the eyes do not work together for near tasks. An eye doctor can prescribe exercises for that, after an examination. That is a medical decision, not a product sold on a promise. Eye exercises and vision therapy goes through the evidence.

Other warning signs are worth noting.

No registration number, or reluctance to let you check one.
A promise that a result is certain, or a claim to be the only person who can help.
Pressure to buy a package before any examination.
Treatment of a child's eyes with no look at the health of the eye itself.

If you are unsure, check the registers first and then see a doctor you have verified. A child with a sudden change, such as a new squint, a white pupil in photos or a red painful eye, should be seen promptly rather than after a long search.

Look elsewhere, or check again, if…

The doctor cannot be found on MeRITS, or is advertised as a specialist but is not on the NSR.
The clinic cannot or will not give a registration number.
Someone promises an exercise programme or device will cure short-sightedness or end the need for glasses.
You are pressed to buy a package before your child has been examined.
Your child has a sudden new squint, a white pupil in photos or a red painful eye: arrange an eye doctor promptly, and check the registers as you go.

Is this urgent? Today, this week or routine

Common questions

How do I check that a paediatric ophthalmologist is registered in Malaysia?

Search the doctor's name on the Malaysian Medical Council register (MeRITS) to confirm they are a registered doctor, then on the National Specialist Register (NSR) to confirm they are registered as a specialist in ophthalmology. Both are free public searches. If you cannot find the name, ask the clinic for the registration number.

Where do I search the Malaysian Medical Council register?

Go to merits.mmc.gov.my and choose Search Registered Doctor. The search page read on 21 October 2026 offered fields for name, place of graduation, place of practice, type of registration and TPC number.

Is there a paediatric ophthalmology listing on the National Specialist Register?

On the NSR pages read on 21 October 2026, the specialty is Ophthalmology and its only field of practice is also Ophthalmology. The Specialist Search field list likewise shows one Ophthalmology entry and no paediatric ophthalmology entry. Ask the doctor about their children's eye training and where they did it.

Is an optometrist a doctor?

No. Optometrists and opticians register with the Malaysian Optical Council under the Optical Act 1991. The Act defines an ophthalmologist as a person registered under the Medical Act 1971 who specialises in eye conditions. An optometrist measures vision and prescribes glasses.

How do I know an optician or optometrist is registered?

The Malaysian Optical Council says each registered optometrist and optician must display the current year's practising certificate (APC) at the premises where customers can see it. If you cannot see one, ask. The council's registration unit can be reached on 03-8883 1394.

What should I ask at my child's first eye specialist appointment?

Ask whether the doctor is registered as a specialist in ophthalmology, whether they trained specifically in children's eyes and where, and what the visit will include. A registered doctor will not mind being asked. Request a written summary of the findings and any prescription.

Do eye exercises cure myopia in children?

No. The American Academy of Ophthalmology states that eye exercises will not improve or preserve vision or reduce the need for glasses. Exercises can help a particular problem, convergence insufficiency, when an eye doctor prescribes them after an examination.

References

Malaysian Medical Council · MeRITS, Search Registered Doctor · merits.mmc.gov.my
National Specialist Register of Malaysia · About NSR · www.nsr.org.my
National Specialist Register of Malaysia · List of Specialties and Fields of Practice · www.nsr.org.my
National Specialist Register of Malaysia · Specialist Search · www.nsr.org.my
National Specialist Register of Malaysia · FAQ · www.nsr.org.my
Malaysian Optical Council · Registration · hq.moh.gov.my
Malaysian Optical Council · Annual Practising Certificate (APC) · hq.moh.gov.my
Optical Act 1991 (Act 469), reprint · worldcouncilofoptometry.info
American Academy of Ophthalmology · Common eye and vision myths and facts · www.aao.org
American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus · Pediatric ophthalmologist · aapos.org

By Dr Chan Li Yen. General information only. It does not replace a consultation. If you are worried about your child's eyes or vision, please see an eye doctor.

How to check a children's eye specialist is registered in Malaysia (MMC and NSR)