Celebrating a new era in eye care for Western Australia

ADVERTISING FEATUREPublished February 8, 2017

lei.org.au

The new-look Lions Eye Institute (LEI) clinic is open for business following a multimillion dollar renovation that promises greater effi ciency and a vastly-improved patient experience.

The expansion and renovation of the LEI’s ground fl oor clinic spaces at 2 Verdun St in Nedlands also ensures Western Australians continue to have access to eye care services that meet the highest national standards.

The new clinic also meets the needs of the dynamic and growing LEI Clinical Trials centre, now one of the largest in the world.

All trials, which give participating patients access to cutting edge treatments, require access to the clinic. The newly-renovated clinic gives Clinical Trials access to greater fl oor space and equipment and increased privacy for patients and staff .

LEI Managing Director Professor David Mackey said the design of the new clinic fl owed from a detailed needs analysis and input from a large number of stakeholders including clinicians, staff and patients.

“Not surprisingly, many of our patients have poor vision,” Professor Mackey said.

“Therefore they tend to come to our clinic with one or two family members or friends. They may also have a walking or mobility aid.

“It was with this in mind that the new clinic was built to have generous space, light and privacy. Patients can enjoy the new multiple lounge areas with tea and coff ee-making

facilities, free Wi-Fi and television and in-house information via the multiple audio-visual screens located around the fl oor.”

Clinical services at the LEI have undergone dramatic growth over the past decade - increasing at roughly six per cent per annum - while some speciality areas like intravitreal injections for age-related macular degeneration have grown 200 per cent in the last six years.

All up, patient numbers through clinical services are reaching 60,000 per annum. Professor Mackey said the clinic transformation would benefi t the entire organisation.

“The LEI blends both medical research into eye disease and clinical services that cater for patients with a huge range of eye problems,” he said.

“What some people don’t realise is that profi ts from our clinic support our medical research.

“Having a modern, functional, well-equipped clinic where people can get the best possible eye care is crucial in supporting our overall commitment to fi nd new treatments to prevent and cure blindness and eye disease.”

Professor Mackey said the new clinic delivered on many fronts.

Key components include:

• Relocation of the Retina Clinic and the consolidation of ancillary services in the same area, including photography, patient

facilities, secretary and administrative functions

• Additional consultation and testing rooms to meet the demands and volumes of patients attending clinics

• A separate injection suite incorporating dedicated waiting areas, two injection rooms, recovery bays and an administration area

• A dedicated Clinical Trials area, incorporating dedicated Clinical Trials rooms and a separate waiting area for patients who are participating in ground breaking research trials.

• Upgrades to the lobby and main entrance, including relocation of the front reception, coff ee shop and other facilities

• A Development Group offi ce

• Improved staff facilities, including new change rooms and bathrooms, a new lunchroom area, meeting rooms and managers/supervisor’s offi ces

• Best practice design for people with disabilities to ensure ease of access for everyone

Professor Mackey said staff played a critical role in the development of the new clinic spaces and made many valuable suggestions that infl uenced the ultimate design and layout.

“Our staff are the heart and soul of the LEI and drive our commitment to saving sight,” he said.

State-of-the-art clinic renovation ticks all the boxes for staff and patients

“It is their teamwork and cooperation that help us deliver a high-quality, caring and safe service to our patients.”

Professor Mackey also thanked architects Silver Thomas Hanley and builders and head contractor BallPoint Construction Group for delivering the project on time and within budget.

02

This Saturday February 11, we throw open our doors and invite you to discover the amazing world of vision science and eye care at the LEI.

The open day coincides with the grand opening of our new state-of-the-art clinic and visitors will be able to tour the new multimillion dollar facilities.

Everyone is welcome and entry is free.

Visitors will be able to:

• Tour our newly-renovated ground fl oor clinic.

• Get a better understanding of vision impairment by trying out simulator glasses that mimic eye diseases. You can challenge yourself to pick up tricky objects and get a real sense of how certain diseases impact on sight and your ability to do every day things.

• Test your suitability for laser surgery. The Lions Laser Vision team will be on hand to test your sight and provide a free assessment.

• Watch the dissection of a pig’s eye to get a better understanding of how the

eye is structured and how it functions.

• Tour the amazing Lions Outback Vision Van – a 15m rig fi tted with state-of-the-art ophthalmic equipment that is delivering eye care to some of Western Australia’s most remote communities.

• Hear presentations by LEI research groups, including Genetics and Epidemiology, Immunology, Lions Outback Vision, Ocular Tissue Engineering Laboratory and Physiology and Pharmacology.

• Meet and chat with LEI Managing Director Professor David Mackey and get your questions about eye health answered by a world authority.

Guided tours will be run every 30 minutes or arm yourself with a map and take a wander around the amazing facilities at the LEI.

The LEI open day and clinic grand opening is on this Saturday February 11 at 2 Verdun St, Nedlands from 10am to 1.30pm. Entry is free.

For more information, visit www.lei.org.au.

• A not-for-profit centre of excellence combining world-class clinical care for all eye disorders with a renowned medical research team.

• Home to one of Australia’s largest ophthalmology clinics, with almost 60,000 patient visits each year.

• Actively involved in numerous clinical trials testing the latest treatments for eye diseases.

• Reliant on community support from donations and bequests to fulfil our vision to prevent and cure blindness and eye disease. Part-proceeds from clinical services also support our scientific research.

• Committed to providing services for a growing community, with clinics in Nedlands, Murdoch and now Midland.

For more information, visit www.lei.org.au.

IS...

Editor: Louise Allan Design: Deirdre Hewett Advertising: Eithne Healy, 9482 3559

Lions Eye Institute staff gather in the lobby of the newly renovated clinic.

JOIN US IN CELEBRATING

OUR CLINIC GRAND OPENING AND

OPEN DAY

03

A passion for saving sight How Lions, visionary ophthalmologists and the Western Australian community worked together to create the LEI.“I appeal to you Lions … will you not constitute yourselves Knights of the Blind in this crusade against darkness?” Helen Keller addressing the 1925 Lions International Convention, Cedar Point, Ohio, 1925.

The dedication of a group of visionary Western Australian doctors, scientists and community members to the cause of saving sight stretches back well beyond the 33 years of the LEI.

The LEI represents a natural outcome of many years of hard work by the Lions movement in WA, inspired by the words of the famous humanitarian and disability advocate Helen Keller.

Her petition for Lions to become Knights of the Blind – “to hasten the day when there shall be no preventable blindness” – was taken up by Lions Clubs all over the world.

In WA, one of the early members of the City of Perth Lions Club was Dr Robert Linton – considered the father of modern ophthalmology in Western Australia.

In 1963, Dr Linton became National President of the Ophthalmological Society of Australia and in the same year, organised the fi rst national congress to be held in Perth.

At this congress he helped establish the Western Australian division of the Australian Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness (AFPB).

In his Presidential Address to the Ophthalmological Society, Dr Linton described the goals of the new Foundation as educating the wider community about eye health, workplace safety, glaucoma, the impact of

genetics on eye health and the importance of regular eye checks. He believed through public education, preventable blindness could be reduced in the WA community by 50 per cent.

In 1964, the AFPB began community glaucoma screenings out of a customised mobile caravan.

The screening process was embraced by the community and very eff ective, with thousands of people lining up for free tests. The caravan was manned by a voluntary workforce of ophthalmologists, nurses and Lions members and travelled all over the State off ering free eye screenings. The fi rst, set up outside Council House, attracted hundreds of people.

Over the next few years, the program became the largest district project of the local Lions movement and there was a growing recognition that a more formal approach was needed to its operation.

At the Lions convention in Albany in 1970, the Lions Save-Sight Foundation (LSSF) was formed, with Lions District Governor Dr Jack Hoff man appointed inaugural chair.

The LSSF greatly expanded the screening programs already begun by Dr Linton and added screenings for amblyopia (lazy eye) in children from 1973, and diabetic retinopathy among the population with diabetes mellitus from 1978.

With a landmass of more than 2.25 million square kilometres, providing eye screening services to Western Australia was a huge undertaking. At its peak, the screenings were off ered out of 69 regional locations.

Over its lifetime, the screening program measured the intraocular pressure of an estimated 300,000 Western Australians and saved the eyesight of many people. It has also done much to raise public awareness of eye disease and preventable blindness.

A critical moment for the save sight

movement came with the creation of the Lions Chair of Ophthalmology at The University of Western Australia and the appointment in 1975 of Ian Constable - a talented young ophthalmologist who had been working at Harvard University.

Ian Constable saw the enormous potential for Western Australia as a research hub, with its excellent health care system, stable population, long genetic lines from early settlers and proximity to Asia.

Initially working from a clinic at Royal Perth Hospital, Professor Constable was soon extremely busy setting up a number of research and teaching programs, providing specialist eye treatment and properly equipping the clinic.

Professor Constable’s impact on ophthalmology in Western Australia was hugely signifi cant because there had not been a strong focus on specialisation and previously, many patients had to travel to Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide if they required treatment for more complex eye diseases.

The second impact was on the reputation of Perth as a place to study. The clinic started to attract talented young post-graduate students from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, New Zealand and a number of Asian countries and many of them stayed in Perth following their training.

The third impact was a rapid escalation of laboratory-based research.

By the early 1980s, ophthalmology had become the largest research consortium in UWA surgery.

As early as 1979, the LSSF recognised the resourcing of eye programs was beyond the capacity of a volunteer service group and planning began for the establishment of the LEI.

In 1983, Professor Constable and his team

moved to converted clinical and research laboratories in the former Chest Hospital, now ‘A Block’ of Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital at the Queen Elizabeth II (QEII) Medical Centre in Nedlands.

In the same year, the LEI was established – conceived as a totally independent body with a separate Board of Governors under the directorship of Professor Constable.

The LSSF and Professor Constable had very specifi c aims in mind for the LEI: the need to get more research units; government acceptance of the Institute’s role; a strong clinical service to ensure LEI off ered a tertiary referral centre for the major causes of blindness; maintenance of strong links with the state-wide community and Lions Clubs; links with – but independence from – The University of WA; a strong independent board of community-minded people and a commitment to making WA a leader in ophthalmology in research and clinical services.

Thirty-three years on, the LEI has established a reputation for providing world-class ophthalmic care and leading laboratory and translational research into blindness.

The mobile Glaucoma Detection Clinic travelled all over the State providing free glaucoma screenings from 1964. Photo credit Arthur Nutt. City of Perth Lions.

Professor Ian Constable

04

Architects and builders deliver ground floor renovation around working clinic

how much input all levels of staff – from management, to nurses, optometrists, clinicians and administration – had in the design process. Substantial stakeholder and user group meetings were conducted throughout the design process to arrive at a practical and aesthetically pleasing end result.

“Their input can really be seen in the close attention to detail this project has,” he said.

“The architects worked hard to incorporate their ideas and the builder worked successfully to minimise disruption around a busy workplace.

“While challenging, we have a very successful outcome. In fact, the response to the new clinic has been overwhelmingly positive from both patients and staff .”

BallPoint Construction Group Managing Director Shane Ball said his company had been proud to partner in a project that would deliver community-wide benefi ts.

In November last year, his business partner Dayle Bryant presented the LEI with a cheque for $4241.70 – representing income received from recycling waste from the LEI site.

Renovating the clinic around a busy workplace to a six-month construction program was one of the big challenges facing the LEI project manager, architects, consultants and builders.

Planning for the clinic renovation began in earnest more than two years ago with surveys of staff , volunteers and patients to establish the current issues, what improvements needed to be made and other expectations for the new clinic.

The 1300sqm project included partial demolition of the ground fl oor, making much better use of the space available with new administration, lobby and staircase areas, as well as a cafe and alfresco area.

Architects Silver Thomas Hanley, who have extensive experience in the design of health facilities were appointed - closely followed by specialist consultants, and then through a tender process head contractor BallPoint Construction Group.

LEI Project Manager Steve Atkins said a signifi cant feature of the project was just

Planning for the clinic began two years ago, calling on opinions from all concerned.

The 1300sqm project included partial demolition works.

BallPoint Construction Group Director Dayle Bryant, Operations Manager Rick Shalders and Project Manager Tyrone Kennedy present a cheque representing recycling income to LEI Board Members Rudolph Brunovs, Dr Margaret Crowley, Peter Forbes and Chairman Stephen Pearce.

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BallPoint Construction Group is proud to havepartnered with Lions Eye Institute on theStage I – Major Ground Floor Refurbishment Project.

For any commercial refurbishment or fitout enquiries,please contact Shane Ball 0414 273 072 or

Dayle Bryant 0438 416 987

www.ballpointcg.com.au

Precision focus for Lions Laser Vision

New clinic off ers big advantages for staff and patients alike

Lions Laser Vision is at the cutting edge of laser technology, off ering patients the best possible vision without glasses or contact lenses.

The clinic is the only one in Perth to use the world’s fastest and most advanced excimer laser source, the Schwind Amaris 1050RS, which corrects one dioptre of myopia in just 1.3 seconds.

Lions Laser Vision Director Professor Geoff rey Crawford said it was the best laser available in the world today for Laser In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery.

“LASIK is the gold standard of laser refractive surgery and the second most commonly performed eye operation in the world after cataract surgery,” Professor Crawford said.

“Patient safety is our number one goal and ongoing investment in the latest technology is crucial.

“Our continued investment in the most advanced laser technology in the world, combined with the extensive experience of the Lions Laser Vision surgeons, means patients will have the best possible visual outcome after laser vision correction at Lions Laser Vision.”

The history of Lions Laser Vision has been one of fi rsts - the fi rst refractive laser centre in Western Australia; the fi rst centre to perform laser PRK surgery in Australia in 1991, the fi rst

centre to perform LASIK in Western Australia in 1996 and the fi rst and only accredited laser vision centre in Western Australia.

The centre has achieved accreditation each year since 2006 with ISO 9001 - an internationally-recognised quality management system.

Laser refractive surgery began with the introduction of an excimer laser in 1982 to reshape the surface of the human cornea and achieve correction of refractive errors in the eye that normally would require glasses or contact lenses.

Initially the surface of the cornea was lasered to fl atten the cornea for correction of short sightedness (myopia). It is now possible to also correct long-sightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism.

In 1990 the technique was improved by adding the creation of a fl ap with the ablation performed under this. LASIK was more eff ective and accurate and more comfortable post-operatively with more rapid visual recovery.

There are four refractive surgeons at Lions Laser Vision: Professor Crawford, Professor Graham Barrett, Associate Professor Steven Wiff en and Dr Andrea Ang, all of whom have had specialist fellowship training in refractive and corneal surgery in the United States.

Interacting with patients and making a diff erence to their quality of life are key motivators for the LEI’s Philomena Grant.

Philomena manages staff and oversees the day-to-day running of retina clinics.

Another part of her role is performing tests, providing support and helping patients understand what to expect of their treatment.

Philomena said the new clinic space has improved the clinic fl ow from arrival to departure, enhancing the patient journey through the clinic.

“We have more consultation rooms for our ophthalmologists which leads to less congestion within the clinic setting,” she said.

“We now have a state-of-the-art injection suite which was specifi cally designed around our patient’s needs - especially for those patients having on-going treatment, making the environment as pleasant as possible for them.

“We now have two injection suites, a larger recovery room and a specifi c discharge area so the patient journey basically fl ows in one direction from entry to discharge.

“Patients are already enjoying the new clinic environment, with positive feedback on how

Lions Laser Vision surgeons Professor Geoff rey Crawford, Professor Graham Barrett, Dr Andrea Ang and Associate Professor Steven Wiff en.

Philomena Grant.

pleasant and relaxed it feels with less waiting times involved.”

Philomena said staff had also seen big changes with the nurses now having their own area to work from and the clerical staff having a much bigger offi ce space.

Philomena has worked at the LEI for the last 14 years and the patient is at the centre of everything she does.

“What gives me the most satisfaction in my role would have to be the interaction with the patients - knowing that we are making a diff erence to improve their quality of life,” she said.

“My ultimate goal in dealing with patients is providing the best nursing practice possible and giving the best customer service.

“I also value the close relationship I have with clinical staff .

“We work in a very busy clinic setting so we need to work very closely together.

“As there are so many talented and diverse staff nationalities working at the LEI, it’s become like a second family. I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.”

6

Cora’s “golden patients” hold the keyto finding safe and eff ective therapies

New clinic to play key role in eye research

Getting a new treatment, or even cure, for an eye disease from the laboratory bench to the bedside involves many people.

Not least of those are the patients who participate in clinical trials. Without them, medical researchers could never prove a new therapy is safe and eff ective.

The newly-refurbished ground fl oor clinic at the LEI will allow easy access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for people participating in clinical research studies.

During 2010-2012, the LEI conducted comprehensive eye examinations on 1350 participants aged around 20 years from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) study.

This work allowed LEI researchers to confi rm the association of myopia with lack of time outdoors using several diff erent markers, including measures of sun damage to the eye and vitamin D levels. The researchers also found that 1.5 per cent of young Western Australian adults had pterygium, caused by excessive sun damage to the eye and associated with conjunctival UV autofl uorescence.

The LEI has just been awarded an $800,000 National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) project grant to re-examine the Raine cohort at the age of 28 to determine what level of progression of myopia occurred over the intervening period.

LEI Managing Director and head of the Genetics and Population research group Professor David Mackey said very little data existed for eye disease and change in eye disease in early adult life.

“We will also study the number of people with excessive conjunctival autofl uorescence at age 20 to determine how many go on to

That is the reason why the LEI’s Clinical Trial Coordinator and Research Nurse Cora Pierce calls such people “golden patients”.

After joining the LEI in 2011, she began recruiting patients for the LEI’s landmark gene therapy trial for wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD).

Wet AMD is the most common cause of blindness in the developed world, causing rapid and devastating vision loss. Its social and economic costs have driven medical researchers at the LEI to seek new treatments.

Cora’s job has involved guiding patients with wet AMD through the trial process.

“The most rewarding part of my job is that all

40 of my patients see me as a friend who is looking after their best interests,” she said. “I know all the intricate details of their day-to-day lives and although the job has been the most demanding work that I have ever had to do, it is also the most rewarding.

“Research patients are ‘golden patients’ and I like to think that my interactions with them are indicative of that.”

The human gene therapy trial has involved the injection of a gene therapy into the eyes of patients with wet AMD, a procedure done at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

Cora’s role has also involved liaison with the theatres and clinics, taking bloods, doing fl uorescein angiograms and ECGs and acting as a family and GP liaison. She must also ensure the trial follows the strict guidelines set up by the Gene Technology Regulator of Australia.

“Research patients are ‘golden patients’ and I like to think my interactions with them are indicative of that.”

Wet AMD is prevalent in the developed world.

develop pterygium,” he said.

“In addition we are investigating the interaction of genes and environment in developing myopia as part of an international consortium known as CREAM.”

Professor Mackey said the new clinic would also be used to assess the eyes of a group of young adults from the Kidskin study, run by the Telethon Kids Institute.

The Kidskin participants were studied in their primary school years in Perth, and some groups of students spent less time outdoors than others as part of the intervention.

“We are now contacting the members of the Kidskin study to invite them to participate in a follow-up exam of their eyes to determine if the diff erent levels of outdoor activity in primary school infl uenced the rates of myopia or pterygium,” Professor Mackey said.

Another major study supported by Glaucoma Australia, the Western Australian Department of Health, and the NHMRC contributing $600,000 will also bring relatives of people with glaucoma in for a glaucoma screening assessment.

Professor Mackey’s national team of collaborators have established that fi rst-degree relatives of people with glaucoma have 10 times the risk of developing glaucoma and that examining relatives is a good way of catching people early in the

disease.

In addition to researchers examining relatives of glaucoma patients at the LEI, people who live in regional and remote WA with full glaucoma will be off ered an examination on the Lions Outback Vision Van.

A further study with pilot funding from the Telethon/Perth Children’s hospital funding is looking at myopia.

“Although we do not have the 90 per cent

rates of myopia seen in the cities of east Asia, we still have 20 per cent of young adults developing myopia,” Professor Mackey said.

“Clinical trials have suggested that low-dose Atropine eye drops might help prevent the progression of myopia in children.

“In association with parallel studies in the United Kingdom and Ireland, we propose to enrol children with early myopia to participate in a randomised trial of low-dose atropine or placebo. This is based on the earlier Singapore ATOM Studies.”

LEI Managing Director Professor David Mackey is leading a number of studies examining eye damage and disease in Western Australia.

Cora Pierce.

7

Lions Outback Vision is working to close the eye health gap in regional and remote Western Australia through a unique service model that delivers eye health care for all major eye conditions, close to where people live.

Associate Professor Angus Turner is the McCusker Director of Lions Outback Vision (LOV), which serves to coordinate and deliver optometry, ophthalmology, diabetic retinal screening and telehealth consultations to patients throughout the Pilbara, Kimberley, Goldfi elds, Midwest and Great Southern regions as well as Aboriginal health services in Perth.

“Compared to the general population, Indigenous Australians suff er from three times the level of blindness, are 12 times more likely to have cataract-related blindness and 14 times more likely to have diabetes-related blindness,” Associate Professor Turner said.

“In remote Western Australia, specialist coverage is up to 19 times lower than in urban Australia and rural residents are three times less likely to have seen an ophthalmologist.”

Last March, the Lions Outback Vision Van (LOVV) hit the road for the fi rst time and has since visited 18 diff erent communities stretching from Albany to Kununurra, covering 19,747km and seeing 1679 patients.

Equipped with state-of-the-art ocular imaging

and lasers, the LOVV and its team have been able to provide care that exceeds some tertiary hospital facilities and prevented patients having to travel to the city for gold standard care.

The LOVV has also worked closely with Aboriginal Medical Service sites and integrated with existing health facilities where larger surgical procedures have been required.

“Providing eye care close to home is so important and reduces the barriers of moving ‘off country’ for treatment,” Associate Professor Turner said.

“A year in, the LOVV model appears to be delivering on its goal and leading to greater equity of access to specialist eye health services for regional and remote Western Australians.”

The Vision Van has been an important link in a chain of services being continually developed by LOV to build lots of capacity in the eye health area at a local level.

Other priorities are tele-ophthalmology, building stronger connections between GPs, Aboriginal medical services, Aboriginal liaison offi cers and health workers, robust screening programs for diabetic retinopathy and the identifi cation of local ‘eye champions’ to spread the word about caring for your eyes.

Mechanic, electrician, internet technician, engineer. Sharon Brown is calling on a multitude of skills in keeping the Lions Outback Vision Van on the road.

Add to that her nursing and driving skills and you have the all-rounder needed to take on the very special job of ferrying the van and its sight-saving cargo to the doorstep of some of Western Australia’s most remote communities.

The Lions Outback Vision Van (LOVV) was launched just under a year ago - the result of a multimillion dollar investment by the State and Commonwealth governments, Lotterywest and the LEI.

Fitted with state-of-the-art medical equipment and staff ed by highly-skilled professionals, the LOVV provides high-quality eye care to people living in regional, remote and indigenous communities throughout Western Australia.

Sharon is the van’s coordinator and driver and already has two tours of duty – stretching from Kununurra in the north to Albany in the south - under her belt.

“I am responsible for the general upkeep of the prime mover, generator, refrigerators, internet server and very high-tech trailer,” Sharon said.

“In my nursing role I am responsible for the greeting, data entry, visual acuity, intraocular pressure testing and dilation of patients and their eyes.

“Advocating for my patients can range from education to a kindly chat to hand holding!”

The LOVV has treatment/consulting rooms, an imaging room, waiting area, reception, a sleeping bunk in the prime mover, a kitchen and bathroom in the trailer, and at 19.2m long and weighing 20 tonnes, makes a statement wherever it goes.

“The arrival of the distinctly-coloured decal generally causes quite a stir amongst the general population and hospital employees alike,” Sharon said.

“The specialised equipment and immediacy of treatment prevents the transfer of patients to Perth and all of the budgetary demands that entails.

“There have also been several cases of acute trauma and with an ophthalmologist on board we have been ‘in the right place at the right time’.”

The LOVV has the capacity to treat upwards of 200 patients per week for a wide range of eye conditions – from diabetic retinopathy to cataracts and glaucoma.

Sharon has already witnessed how the LOVV is

Lions Outback Vision works to close the gap

Sharon and the Vision Van helping those most in need

On the road again. Sharon Brown at the wheel of the Lions Outback Vision Van.

having a positive impact on the communities it has visited, blending with Outreach Surgical Services to lift overall eye health and boost access to comprehensive treatment.

On a personal level, Sharon loves the challenges and diversity of her role.

“Being the only nurse on the LOVV is an amazing experience, both professionally and personally. I am very proud to be a member of the LEI and to be involved in a project that is addressing the unique challenges of rural and

remote eye health,” she said.

“The use of tele-ophthalmology, VOSS, local optometrists and indigenous health workers is combined to provide a focused service.

“Being able to work one-on-one with skilled doctors has provided me with an inimitable insight into rural ophthalmology.

“I would not swap my job for anything and just in case you are wondering - as many of my ‘friends’ are - I do not get sick so there is no need to replace me!”

Dr Angus Turner conducts an eye examination in the new LOV van.

8

Established in 1986, the Lions Eye Bank is the only facility in WA that coordinates the collection, processing and distribution of eye tissue for transplantation.

Since its inception, the Lions Eye Bank has helped save the sight of more than 4400 Western Australians.

All donor tissue is used either for transplantation or, if unsuitable, for ethically approved research or surgical training with the consent of the donor’s family.

This tissue is crucial to advancing research and developing surgical techniques.

New storage methods have contributed to the most signifi cant growth in almost 30 years of eye banking in WA.

Where some patients used to wait more than two years for a graft, transplants are now being performed within a matter of weeks.

State-of-the-art surgical techniques have also evolved so only the diseased portion of the cornea is replaced, enhancing the recovery period and visual outcome for the patient. Previously, the entire cornea was replaced regardless of the diagnosis.

Ten surgeons perform corneal grafts for both public and private patients including LEI clinicians Professor Graham Barrett, Professor Geoff rey Crawford, Associate Professor Steven Wiff en and Dr Andrea Ang.

Glaucoma surgeons Professor William

Morgan and Dr Antonio Guibilato use scleral grafts in surgery to reduce intraocular pressure.

As a member of the Eye Bank Association of Australia and New Zealand (EBAANZ), the Lions Eye Bank works collaboratively with other eye banks to maintain consistently high levels of quality, safety, profi ciency and ethics.

Excess tissue is shared when appropriate and emergency requests for tissue are always supported.

The goals of the Lions Eye Bank are to:

• Prevent blindness and improve the outcome of eye disease by providing corneal and sclera tissue for transplantation.

• Raise the profi le of the LEI in the community, both locally and nationally, by educating the public and medical providers about the critical role of the Eye Bank in sight-saving procedures.

• Continue to remain a sustainable unit within the LEI by generating suffi cient proceeds through the provision of eye tissues for transplantation.

As an independent organisation, the Lions Eye Bank of Western Australia is self-funded through cost recovery and is supported by the Lions Save-Sight Foundation.

Enid Gelden can experience the joy of watching her two children grow up because of two sight-saving corneal transplants through the Lions Eye Bank.

Enid was diagnosed with keratoconus in her left eye which caused her cornea to bulge into a conical shape at age 16.

By the time she left high school, conventional methods to correct her vision were failing and she was placed on a waiting list for a cornea transplant.

At the time there was a waiting list of up to two years, but at age 21 Enid had her fi rst corneal transplant.

The operation was successful and after a long recovery her vision improved dramatically.

But 13 years later, after the birth of her fi rst child Jesse, Enid’s body rejected the cornea for no obvious reason.

“It was a very traumatic experience,” she said. “I had to attend endless eye specialist appointments with a screaming newborn.

“I was sleep deprived and wanted to do everything right – as fi rst-time mothers do – and was afraid the steroid drops I had to take would do my little boy harm.”

Enid said her vision was so bad it was like looking through white frosted glass.

Her ophthalmologist was able to stop a complete rejection of the cornea but she was on constant medication, her eye was extremely light sensitive, she was in pain and discomfort and her vision fl uctuated.

Enid waited until her second child Joel was two before contemplating another corneal graft and in 2014, a new cornea was inserted under the existing one.

“Within a week, my vision started clearing and constantly improving,” she said.

“To this day I can’t believe what an improvement the new cornea made.

“I can see very well. My light-sensitivity is almost gone and I am no longer squinting.”

Enid, who now lives in Margaret River, is acutely aware that while she received the gift of sight twice, there are donor families dealing with the loss of a loved one.

“I am extremely grateful for both of my corneal donations and, being a parent, I feel so deeply sorry for the families,” she said.

“I can only imagine how hard it would be to consent to a loved one’s organs being donated. But hopefully, knowing what a positive impact this selfl ess act had on me and countless other donor recipients would bring some comfort to families.”

Lions Eye Bank a true sight-saver

Gift of sight transforms Enid’s life

Enid Gelden with her husband Lance and their children Jesse and Joel.

9

Volunteering reaps its own rewards“What is the essence of life? To serve others and to do good.”

Aristotle might have lived more than 2000 years ago, but his words still resonate for the LEI’s band of volunteers, who support vulnerable patients requiring help and support before and after their medical treatment.

This dedicated group of 34 men and women is led by Volunteer Coordinator Robin Miller.

Decked out in their red vests, volunteers are often the fi rst to greet patients as they arrive at the LEI.

The volunteers assist in many ways - escorting the elderly and vision impaired, collecting medications from the QEII pharmacy or providing safe access to refreshments.

As coordinator, Robin supervises the LEI Volunteer Program, helps to recruit and train volunteers and, along with

Robin Miller

Lions Optics provides a full optometric service to the Western Australian community. Well-trained staff members are up to date with the latest lens technologies and can assist with individual lens selections and visual requirements.

Lions Optics has steadily built a strong base of loyal clientele over more than 30 years, and enjoys a long-standing reputation for optimum service. Manager Michelle Newton joined Lions Optics in early 1998 and said there were many reasons why clients entrusted their eye health and eye care to the service.

“Our affi liation with the LEI enables us to cater for an array of complicated eye conditions and patients enjoy peace of mind with the knowledge that our profi ts go to the LEI to help fund vital eye research,” she said.

“Lions Optics has four diff erent optometrists presently consulting, all of which have a wealth of knowledge and profi ciency. Two of these optometrists also consult at Visibility Low Vision Clinic, previously known as the Association of the Blind.”

Michelle said Lions Optics staff are also able to do on-site fi tting, glazing and repairs.

“I believe that it is absolutely crucial that we have an on-site fi tting laboratory which enables staff to do ‘on the spot repairs’ and emergency lens cut downs,” she said. “This is particularly important as we are located so closely to the accident and emergency department of Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.”

Specialist knowledge on hand at Lions Optics

Team Leaders, ensures appropriate rostering to meet workloads and changing circumstances.

“I fi rst heard about the LEI’s Volunteer Program from a friend who was a volunteer at the time and joined up in July 2011,” she said.

“I love and enjoy the interaction with staff and my fellow volunteers but get the most satisfaction from helping in a small way to make a diff erence to a patient’s visit - either by off ering a tea or coff ee, having a chat, arranging transport or just a cheerful ‘hi’.

“I fi nd volunteering good for the soul and very rewarding!”

Lions Optics off ers a wide range of services including:• Comprehensive eye testing• Medicare bulk-billing in most instances• Extensive range of both budget and

designer frames and sunglasses• Private Health Cover Direct Claiming

(HICAPS) facility• Referrals to eye specialists and low vision

clinics• Broad selection of magnifi ers and low

vision aids• Contact lens training, fi tting and

dispensing• Spectacle repairs and adjustments done

on site• A qualifi ed Optical Technician on site for

lens glazing and fi tting• Staff who pride themselves on ‘good old

fashioned service’

For more information, phone 9381 3860 or email lionsoptics@lei.org.au.

10

3419

584L

VN

EH

0202

2017

Pro AV Solutions 24 Drake Street, Osborne Park WA 6017 1300 287 253 sales@proavsolutions-WA.com.au

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Dr Andrea Ang

Dr Andrea Ang is an ophthalmologist with a wide area of expertise and a member of the LEI’s renowned Lions Laser Vision team.

Dr Ang specialises in the management of cornea, anterior segment and external diseases including pterygium surgery, corneal transplantation, and limbal stem cell surgery. Dr Ang also specialises in cataract surgery and refractive surgery, including LASIK and PRK, and refractive lens exchange.

After training in ophthalmology at The University of Western Australia and Harvard University in the United States, she undertook fellowships in cornea, anterior segment and external diseases at the Cincinnati Eye Institute and the Singapore National Eye Centre.

Dr Ang is a passionate supporter of vision programs in developing nations and is a Myanmar Eye Care Program volunteer and Equal Health volunteer in India. She was attracted to ophthalmology by the advancing science and precision surgery involved in eye care.

“I feel very fortunate in my job, that I can

The LEI is home to many of Western Australia’s top ophthalmologists - specialising in the full range of eye conditions including glaucoma, cataracts, macular degeneration, retinal disorders and laser refractive surgery.

The LEI clinic is one of the largest group-ophthalmic practices in Australia with an unrivalled skills base.

LEI ophthalmologists provide substantial services to both public and private patients in Western Australia, including consultant sessions within each of Perth’s teaching hospitals.

The LEI’s international reputation for clinical excellence attracts almost 60,000 patients each year – making the clinic one of the largest in Australia.

Supported by dedicated clinical services staff , the clinic provides crucial funds that contribute to the costs of running an integrated research program.

The expansion of the LEI’s clinic will ensure this leading group of ophthalmologists can continue to provide the highest possible standard of care in state-of-the-art surrounds.

Leading ophthalmologists call the LEI home

Professor Graham Barrett

Professor Graham Barrett trained in ophthalmology in Perth and undertook specialty training in the United States. He is a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

Professor Barrett is the founding and current President of the Australasian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and past President of the Asia Pacifi c Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

He is the recipient of major international awards including the Ridley Medal from the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons, the Binkhorst Medal from the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and the Ridley Medal from the Congress of German Ophthalmic Surgeons. He is also the 2016 recipient of

Dr Fred Chen

Retinal diseases specialist Dr Fred Chen combines clinical and surgical expertise with translational research interests. He was born in Taiwan and studied medicine at The University of Western Australia.

After completing his ophthalmology training at Royal Perth Hospital, he moved to London for advanced training in medical and surgical retina at Moorfi elds Eye Hospital and studied a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in surgical techniques of retinal pigment epithelium transplantation for treatment of dry and wet macular degenerations at the University College of London’s Institute of Ophthalmology.

improve someone’s quality of life so much by an operation such as cataract surgery or corneal transplantation,” she said.

Dr Ang is a consultant ophthalmologist at Royal Perth Hospital and a lecturer with The University of Western Australia, where she teaches medical students and supervises training Registrars and Fellows. She serves on several committees of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

Her research interests include ocular surface reconstruction techniques and corneal transplant outcomes.

Dr Chandra Balaratnasingam

After a three-year stint completing fellowships in vitreoretinal surgery and medical retina in Canada and the United States, Dr Chandra Balaratnasingam has returned to Western Australia and the LEI.

While in the United States, he trained under internationally renowned retinal specialist Lawrence Yannuzzi and joined the clinical faculty at New York University, also working as a vitreoretinal surgeon in Manhattan for nearly a year.

In this research area he was a major contributor to a range of clinical trials and

research studies related to retinal diseases.

Before honing his skills overseas, Dr Balaratnasingam was a member of the LEI’s Physiology and Pharmacology Group for more than 10 years. He completed his PhD at the LEI before starting ophthalmology training in Perth.

His research interests cover retinal vascular diseases, particularly diabetic retinopathy.

“I perform laboratory-based and clinical research at the LEI,” he said.

“The primary aims of my research are to develop novel techniques to non-invasively monitor and treat the complications of retinal vascular diseases, such as diabetic retinopathy.

“I am also involved in a range of clinical trials investigating new treatments for macular oedema, retinal vascular diseases and macular degeneration.”

Dr Balaratnasingam practices at the Nedlands and Murdoch offi ces of the LEI and treats patients with medical and surgical diseases of the retina. He also holds public appointments at Royal Perth Hospital and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

the Innovators Kelman Lecture Award from the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons.

Professor Barrett’s areas of expertise include cataract and refractive surgery, corneal and anterior segment disorders and surgery.

Dr Chen returned to Perth in 2010 as a Senior Research Fellow at the UWA Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science and established and leads the LEI’s Ocular Tissue Engineering Group. He is also a consultant retinal surgeon at Royal Perth Hospital and the LEI.

Dr Chen was attracted to ophthalmology because of the ingenious ways in which knowledge from a broad range of scientifi c disciplines has been applied to the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases.

“The opportunity to use precision technology and molecular therapy developed by scientists and clinicians to diagnose eye diseases and restore sight gives me the greatest satisfaction in my work,” he said.

Dr Chen’s areas of expertise include retinal detachment repair, macular surgery, retinal imaging, treatment of various forms of macular degeneration, Stargardt disease, retinitis pigmentosa and clinical trials of new drugs and retinal lasers.

His research teams are involved in testing of new treatments in age-related macular degeneration, high resolution retinal imaging, monitoring of inherited retinal diseases and application of stem cell technology in personalised medicine.

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Professor Ian Constable AO

Professor Ian Constable AO has had a major impact on the fi eld of ophthalmology in Australia and internationally for more than 40 years.

He was recruited from Harvard University in 1975 as the inaugural Lions Chair in Ophthalmology at The University of Western Australia (UWA), and founded the LEI in 1983.

Under his guidance, the LEI has become a leader in eye research and operator of one of the largest clinical practices in Australia. The LEI has a long history of developing basic science into real-world treatments for most major eye diseases.

This commitment to next generation research will be bolstered by the creation of the Ian Constable Chair in Discovery and Translational Ophthalmic Science at UWA.

“As the projected growth of the Western Australian population rises to six million by 2050, the LEI will attract an ever-evolving team of scientists and clinician scientists capable of launching major new research initiatives and international collaborations while serving the needs of our growing population in a multi-centre institute,” Professor Constable said.

Professor Geoff rey Crawford

Professor Geoff rey Crawford specialises in refractive surgery – surgical solutions that correct common vision problems such as short and long-sightedness, astigmatism and presbyopia without glasses or contact lenses.

Considered a pioneer and world-leading practitioner in his fi eld, Professor Crawford’s leadership of the Lions Laser Vision Centre has made it Western Australia’s leading ophthalmology centre.

“Our history is one of fi rsts for Western Australia,” he said. “We were the fi rst refractive laser centre, the fi rst to perform laser PRK surgery, the fi rst centre to perform Laser-In-Situ Keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery and the fi rst and only accredited laser vision centre in the State.

“Our continued investment in the latest and most advanced technology in the world means patients are assured of the best possible visual outcome after laser vision correction.”

Professor Crawford also has a strong background in translational research and innovation – co-inventing the AlphaCor artifi cial cornea and AlphaSphere orbital implant and developing the techniques for insertion of these devices.

He specialises in all forms of refractive surgery including LASIK, LASEK, PRK and insertion of phakic intraocular lenses, lens surgery for cataracts and refractive errors.

He also specialises in corneal diseases of the eye and performs all surgeries related to these conditions including all types of corneal transplantation, pterygium removal, tumour removal and correction of keratoconus with intracorneal ring segments (Kerarings) and corneal collagen cross-linking.

Professor Crawford completed his ophthalmic training in Western Australia and completed further sub-specialty training in cornea and refractive surgery at Moorfi elds Eye Hospital in the United Kingdom and at Emory University in the United States.

He is the LEI’s Director of Surgical Services and a consultant ophthalmic surgeon at Royal Perth Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children. Professor Crawford is also a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Dr Antony Clark

Dr Antony Clark is the newest recruit to the LEI’s team of clinicians and brings with him expertise in general ophthalmology, cataract surgery, glaucoma, strabismus and paediatric ophthalmology.

Dr Clark completed his ophthalmology training in Western Australia and has returned to Perth after two years of further sub-specialty training in Toronto, Canada.

He spent the fi rst year undertaking advanced training in adult glaucoma and anterior segment surgery before completing further training in paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus at Toronto’s world-renowned Hospital for Sick Children.

Dr Clark has a PhD in public health from Curtin University where his research focused on using big data techniques to explore the outcomes of cataract surgery and other eye services provided in Western Australia.

“I was drawn to ophthalmology for several reasons. It is a fascinating specialty that combines many areas of medicine with technically challenging and intricate surgery,” he said.

“The technological advances we are seeing in eye care also make it an exciting time to be an ophthalmologist. Ultimately it is the patients that drew me to ophthalmology.

“Our eye sight is so important to us all and having the privilege of being able to prevent blindness or improve a person’s vision is immensely satisfying and rewarding.

“The information we glean from

epidemiology and public health research is so important since it informs our understanding of the patterns and magnitude of disease in the community and thus, where to direct our health eff orts.

“It is often through epidemiological studies that we identify important risk factors or potential causes for diseases and ultimately directs our study into possible treatments.”

In addition to consulting at the LEI, Dr Clark is a consultant ophthalmologist at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital.

He is also a Senior Research Fellow with the Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science at The University of Western Australia; and Adjunct Research Fellow with the Centre for Population Health Research, Curtin University, where he is continuing on his research interests.

“The unique LEI model of patient-based revenues to supplement competitive research programs will propel us toward a status as one of the major eye centres of the world.”

Professor Constable trained in ophthalmology in Sydney before his appointment as a Retinal Fellow at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infi rmary and lecturer at Harvard University.

His areas of expertise include retinal vascular disease, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, complex referrals and cataracts.

Dr Jean-Louis deSousa

Dr Jean-Louis deSousa trained in ophthalmology in Perth before completing fellowships in ophthalmic plastic and reconstructive surgery in Oxford and East

Grinstead in the United Kingdom.

He is a member of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgeons.

Head of Department at Royal Perth Hospital, he also provides ophthalmic services to the central wheatbelt from Merredin.

Dr deSousa is a basic sciences examiner for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists and a consultant and visiting surgeon and lecturer for humanitarian eye projects in Bali and East Timor.

His areas of expertise include oculoplastic surgery for eyelid tumours, eyelid malposition, cosmetic surgery and non-surgical cosmetic procedures, as well as, orbital disease, tumours, trauma and infl ammatory orbital disease; and endoscopic lacrimal surgery.

12

Dr Antonio Giubilato

Dr Antonio Giubilato is a glaucoma expert who underwent sub-specialty fellowship training at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital after studying general ophthalmology in Western Australia.

His specialty training included both the clinical and surgical management of glaucoma as well as research into new therapies for the condition. Dr Giubilato is heavily involved in teaching the next generation of ophthalmologists as well as off ering, with his colleagues, an internationally recognised glaucoma

Professor Ian McAllister

The LEI’S Director of Clinical Services, Professor Ian McAllister, is a passionate clinician-scientist who combines high-level patient care with research into cures for a range of serious eye diseases.

His expertise covers vitreoretinal surgery and disorders, retinal vascular disease, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, ocular trauma and cataract surgery.

Professor McAllister is actively involved in researching cures for vitreoretinal disorders – especially retinal vascular disorders – and has held 10 National Health and Medical

Research Council grants in this area as well as numerous minor grants. He led the LEI research team that investigated a method of creating a bypass around the site of a blockage in the retinal vein – the fi rst successful treatment of this type in the world. Professor McAllister said he was drawn to ophthalmology because of its capacity to make major benefi cial changes to people’s lives.

Professor McAllister trained in Western Australia and completed additional sub-specialty training in vitreoretinal disorders in the USA. He has published more than 140 papers in scientifi c journals and delivered

more than 170 papers at international meetings. He has received an American Academy of Ophthalmology achievement award for distinguished service and was awarded a Doctorate in Medicine from the University of Western Australia last year.

He is also a consultant ophthalmologist at Royal Perth, continues to service remote communities and has been involved for many years in state-wide diabetic retinopathy screening and treatment.

Professor McAllister was Vice-Chairman of the Ophthalmic Research Institute of Australia and Chairman of its Research Board for many years.

Professor David Mackey

As Managing Director, Professor David Mackey has led the LEI through a new era of expansion – overseeing the development of state-of-the-art research laboratories at the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, launch of the Lions Outback Vision Van and new clinic space in the LEI building.

“Our mission is to achieve leadership in scientifi c research and clinical practice with the clear aim of preventing and curing blindness and eye disease,” he said.

“To do this, we have to equip our clinicians and researchers with the tools to do the job – whether it’s state-of-the-art research laboratories or new clinic space like the one being offi cially opened this weekend.”

As well as his leadership role as the head of the LEI, Professor Mackey is a world-leading authority on the genetics of eye disease, with his research extending beyond the laboratory to cascade genetic screening for at-risk individuals. He is the Chief Investigator on a NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence project “From discovery to therapy in genetic eye diseases.”

He sees patients at the LEI with rare genetic eye diseases and more common genetic eye diseases involving new genetic research.

Professor Mackey is also Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of the Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual

Science at The University of Western Australia (UWA). Since 2016 he has been Associate Dean (Research) for the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science at UWA.

Born and educated in Tasmania, he studied medicine at the University of Tasmania, completing ophthalmology training at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and Fellowships in paediatric and genetic eye diseases in Melbourne, Baltimore and London.

He was a member of the NHMRC Human Genetics Advisory Committee from 2012-2015 and is past President of the International Society for Genetic Eye Disease and Retinoblastoma. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and a Fellow of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.

Associate Professor Adam Gajdatsy

As an oculoplastic, lacrimal and orbital sub-specialist, Dr Adam Gajdatsy deals with many problems that impact on vision from outside the eye itself. This includes benign and malignant tumour management – both within and outside the eye, as well as eyelid and tear drainage disorders.

Dr Gajdatsy trained in ophthalmology in Western Australia before undertaking fellowship training at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and at Moorfi elds Eye Hospital in London.

He operates as an ophthalmic surgeon at the LEI, Osborne Park Hospital, Sir Charles Gairdner and Murdoch Hospital. He is one of four leading ophthalmologists from the LEI now operating at Murdoch.

He is also an Honorary Ophthalmic Plastic Surgical Consultant at Princess Margaret Hospital. Dr Gajdatsy gets great satisfaction in using his surgeon’s skills to improve a patient’s quality of life.

“Faulty lids and tear drainage cause loss of visual performance, where tumours of the orbits or around and within the eye may blind or kill,” he said.

“My research collaboration into orbital and ocular cancers will hopefully make a diff erence down the track too.”

As well as his work with the LEI, Dr Gajdatsy sits on the Curriculum Review Committee of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists and is President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgeons. In the last decade he has acted as WA RANZCO director of training and as UWA Ophthalmology Teaching Coordinator.

His areas of special expertise are lid malposition repair (droopy lid corrections), lid cancer management, cosmetic eyelid surgery, tear drainage surgery, eye socket surgery and orbital surgery. He also maintains a general ophthalmology practice, including cataract and pterygium surgery.

fellowship. He is currently involved in trials in new glaucoma therapies and collaborating on research into MIGS (Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery). His special interest area is surgical management of glaucoma in particular glaucoma drainage devices.

Dr Giubilato was attracted to ophthalmology because of his interest in blinding eye diseases, specifi cally glaucoma, and having patients trust in him to keep them sighted.

“When you look after patients for years, even decades, you learn about their family and experiences and being part of that is special,” he said.

“Seeing the smile on a patient’s face when you know you are keeping them sighted is a humbling experience.”

Dr Giubilato is a consultant ophthalmologist in the Glaucoma Clinic at Royal Perth Hospital and operates at Royal Perth Hospital and Bentley Hospital for public patients. He consults at LEI’s clinics in both Murdoch and Nedlands. He is also a WA committee member of the Australian and New Zealand Glaucoma Interest Group and is on numerous advisory boards, both medical and surgical.

13

Many of the LEI’s ophthalmologists.

Dr Hessom Razavi

A commitment to Indigenous eye health, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration drives the LEI’s Dr Hessom Razavi.

Dr Razavi has completed fellowships in Western Australia and Victoria – the fi rst with Associate Professor Angus Turner’s Lions Outback Vision, where he spent a year providing eye care in remote Western Australian communities.

He then undertook a fellowship with Professor Robyn Guymer and Dr Alex Harper in Melbourne, focussing on medical retina diseases and research.

Dr Razavi was attracted to ophthalmology by its potential impact on the lives of patients.

“It has the potential to improve the quality of vision and therefore, the quality of life of patients, with treatments that are often rapid, safe, and have measurable outcomes,” he said.

Prior to his training and work in Australia, Dr Razavi completed a Masters degree at

the University of London. This included fi eld work in Iran, and receiving the Gordon Johnson Prize for fi rst academic standing.

Dr Razavi practices at the LEI and he has a public post at Fremantle Hospital. His research interests include diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration and Indigenous eye health. He is also unit coordinator of ophthalmology teaching for medical students at The University of Western Australia.

Associate Professor Mei-Ling Tay-Kearney

Associate Professor Mei-Ling Tay-Kearney completed her medical training in Western Australia before pursuing postgraduate study at Johns Hopkins Hospital in the United States.

In 2003, she was appointed Head of Department of Ophthalmology at Royal Perth Hospital. She is a senior lecturer at UWA and a member of the International Ocular Infl ammation Society and the Australian Uveitis Study Group.

Associate Professor Tay-Kearney was attracted to ophthalmology because of the mix of surgical and medical expertise required and the ability to make a tangible diff erence in patients’ quality of life.

Associate Professor Tay-Kearney is the Chair of Qualifi cations and Education, member of the Trainee Progression Committee and was an examiner for the RANZCO Part 2 College Examinations.

Her areas of expertise are ocular infections, uveitis and infl ammatory disorders of the eye.

Dr Steven Wiff en

Dr Steven Wiff en trained in ophthalmology in Western Australia before undertaking fellowships at the Corneo-Plastic Unit, East Grinstead, in the United Kingdom and at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, in the United States.

Dr Wiff en is a consultant ophthalmologist at Fremantle Hospital and a Senior Lecturer at The University of Western Australia.

He is also the Director of the Lions Eye Bank of Western Australia.

Dr Wiff en’s areas of expertise include ocular surface disorders, corneal and refractive surgery, anterior segment disorders and surgery.

Professor Bill Morgan

Professor Bill Morgan maintains an active research interest in glaucoma – the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and a disease that aff ects one in eight Australians over the age of 80.

He is the Co-Director of the LEI’s McCusker Glaucoma Centre, head of the Department of Ophthalmology at Royal Perth Hospital, consultant ophthalmologist at Princess Margaret Hospital and a Professor at The University of Western Australia.

Professor Morgan was drawn to ophthalmology because one can generally always help the patient and improve some aspect of their quality of life.

“Ophthalmology reinforces how vital good vision is to everyday living,” he said.

“The greatest satisfaction I get is seeing people with poor but useful vision from nasty glaucoma maintain the bulk of that vision for many years.”

Professor Morgan initially trained in Western Australia and undertook his fellowship at the Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science at UWA.

He has completed a doctorate in philosophy, studying the response of the optic nerve to pressure, particularly in relation to glaucoma. He is co-inventor of the XEN glaucoma operation and is also particularly interested in cerebrospinal fl uid pressure and retinal vessel pressures in relation to disease.

As well as his interest in glaucoma, Professor Morgan also has expertise in the epidemiology of blinding eye disease and eye diseases within Aboriginal populations.

Associate Professor Angus Turner

As the head of Lions Outback Vision (LOV), Associate Professor Angus Turner is having a major impact on eye health services in regional and remote Western Australia.

Associate Professor Turner completed his medical training at The University of Western Australia before studying at Oxford University and completing a Masters of Evidence Based Medicine.

As McCusker Director, Associate Professor Turner is actively involved in the delivery of specialist outreach services to remote and Indigenous communities in the Kimberley, Pilbara, Goldfi elds, Great Southern and

South-West regions.

He is a strong advocate for collaboration between optometrists and ophthalmologists and an active proponent of telehealth services with a focus on the best outcomes for patient care and equal opportunity for quality eye health care in regional Western Australia.

He has spearheaded the Lions Outback Vision Van (LOVV) project, a custom-built mobile eye clinic which is delivering specialised care for all major eye conditions where people live.

“Providing eye care close to home is so important and reduces the barriers of moving ‘off country’ for treatment,” Associate Professor Turner said.

“While a new project, the LOVV model appears to be delivering on its goal and leading to greater equity of access to specialist eye health services for regional and remote Western Australians.”

As well as overseeing the LOVV, Associate Professor Turner is engaged in a number of research projects at the LEI focusing on service delivery for remote and Indigenous people. Associate Professor Turner is also a consultant at Fremantle Hospital and an ophthalmology teacher for the Rural Clinical School.

Many of the LEI’s ophthalmologists.

14

Quality, care and safety are the bywords of the LEI’s Day Surgery Centre, which combines the best medical technology available with highly-skilled and committed staff .

The Day Surgery Centre provides optimum eye care through a combination of best practice in ophthalmologic day procedures, specialised medical technology and experienced and dedicated clinicians, nurses and support staff .

Regularly scoring above 90 per cent in patient satisfaction, the centre is fully accredited and off ers:

• Cataract micro-surgery and lens implantation

• Plastic surgery of the eyelids including blepharoplasty

• Ptosis repairs

• Pterygia treatment

• Conjunctival grafts

• Corneal grafts

In 2015, the Day Surgery Centre installed a new Phaco machine to ensure patients undergoing cataract surgery have access to the latest technology.

As home to one of the largest ophthalmology clinical trials centres in the world, the LEI is uniquely placed to off er patients cutting-edge treatments - often before they are available to the general public.

More than 30 research studies are currently underway, including new laser and drug therapies for dry age-related macular degeneration, new and more eff ective treatments for glaucoma and ocular hypertension and novel antibody therapies for ocular infl ammatory disease.

Quality assured at LEI’s Day Surgery Centre

Clinical Trials on the cutting edge of treatment

Medical staff attend to a patient in the Day Surgery Centre.

Children’s eye health, eye tumours and cancers, genetic eye diseases and diabetic retinopathy are other areas of investigation.

Rare diseases for which there are currently no eff ective treatments, such as macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel), are also the focus of research eff orts.

More than 30 research studies are underway, including new and more effective treatments for glaucoma.

Clinical Trials tests new drugs and devices, collects information from patients to better understand a particular eye disease and audits patient medical notes to ensure they are receiving optimal treatment.

The LEI model is unique in having scientists work in close association with clinicians to develop laboratory-generated ideas into real-world patient care.

The LEI has some of the top ophthalmic clinicians in the country and these clinicians also have a strong commitment to research and teaching. This is one of the LEI’s major strengths because it results in new developments and treatments for blinding eye conditions.

Patients benefi t because they are among the fi rst to access these therapies.

The LEI has been running clinical trials for nearly three decades. In that time the group has grown dramatically and demand for this translational part of research has risen steadily over the past 10 years.

All trials run by the group are subject to the approval of a Human Research Ethics Committee and comply with stringent national and international regulations and guidelines.

For more information about LEI Clinical Trials, phone 9381 0750 or email clinicalresearch@lei.org.au.

15

DID YOU KNOW

ORGANISATION

IS A

NOT-FOR-PROFIT

12

34

5Donations and Gifts

in Wills help fund our research.

Research and Clinical Trials are conducted.

Research leads to new treatments and cures.

Patients benefit, and the story

goes on…

PATIENTS

DO

NA

TION

SRE

SULT

S

RESEARC

HN

EW TREATMENTS

HOW WE WORK

Patients see their doctor in the clinic. Part of each bill helps fund our research.