Dr. Yap Eng Yiat graduated MBBS in 1983 from the National University of Singapore. During his medical school days, he obtained the Beecham book prize in physiology. After his internship, Dr. Yap enrolled for National Service where he also underwent training in ophthalmology and anaesthesiology. He served in the ophthalmology section of the Medical Classification Centre.

Dr. Yap was a resident in ophthalmology from 1986 to 1989. During this period, he was sent by the Ministry of Health on the Higher Manpower Development Plan to the United Kingdom where he was trained at the Tennent Eye Institute in Glasgow as well as Moorfields Eye Hospital. Dr. Yap graduated FRCS (Edinburgh) in 1988 and FRCOphth (UK) in 1989 and became Medical Office Specialist in 1989. In the same year, he was promoted to registrar at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

The Ministry of Health sent Dr. Yap on a Higher Manpower Development Plan program from 1991 to 1992 to the Mayo Clinic in the United States of America for training in the subspecialty field of retina. (Dr. Yap had in 1986 obtained ECFMG certification for training in the USA). On his return, Dr. Yap was promoted to senior registrar in 1992 and subsequently to consultant in 1994 and senior consultant in 2000.

Dr. Yap underwent a refresher Higher Manpower Development Plan training program in 2001 in Australia. He was attached to the Melbourne Excimer Laser Group to update on refractive surgery as well as the Victoria Eye and Ear Singapore to update on retina.

Dr, Yap is a fellow of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore. He has published over 30 scientific papers spanning the fields of retina, paediatric ophthalmology, cataract, refractive surgery and neuro-ophthalmology. He also won the best poster award at the Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology conference in 2001.

Besides the above, Dr. Yap has also had attachments to the Wills Eye Hospital in USA for retina and paediatric ophthalmology/squint, the Private Eye Clinic in Australia for paediatric ophthalmology/squint and the Mayo Clinic in the USA for paediatric ophthalmology/squint as well as oculoplastics, Dr, Yap is currently in private practice at Mount Elizabeth Hospital with branch clinics at Bishan and Bukit Batok. Dr. Yap is Visiting Consultant to the Eye Department at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.