A SIGHT FOR SORE EYES

Wishlist House proceeds will be used to fund vital equipment for Caloundra Hospital’s ophthalmology unit and help attract more specialists to the Coast.

 1. YAG Laser                                                             $40,000

20% of patients who have had cataract and lens implant surgery require post operative YAG Laser treatment.  Currently these patients must be referred to RBWH in order to have the appropriate treatment.  Currently, patients requiring this treatment are referred to Brisbane, which usually requires two visits (one for assessment and one for laser treatment), and may require an overnight stay.

 2. Argon Laser                                                           $50,000

Patients who are suffering from conditions including (but not limited to) diabetic eye disease, impending retinal detachments, macular degeneration, retinal vascular disease require Argon Laser treatment to their eyes to preserve their vision.  This could be housed in the same room as the YAG Laser, so laser standards would not need to be duplicated.  Currently all cases requiring treatment must be referred to Brisbane.

 3. Ocular Coherence Tomography (OCT)             $95,000

This piece of equipment is used to assess retinal conditions (such as macula degeneration) and is also used to monitor glaucoma.  If the service had an OCT it would be able to detect and monitor the treatment of these retinal conditions (eg. Lucentis and Avastin intravitreal injections).  Currently all suspect cases must be referred to Brisbane.

 4. Fluoroscein Angiogram Camera (FA)                 $85,000

This machine is used to assess, diagnose and monitor retinal conditions (such as macula degeneration and diabetes).  These tests results are used to determine treatment required, such as Argon Laser.  Ocular photography also allows for a precise record of disease progression (especially in diabetics) to be kept.  Currently all cases must be sent to Brisbane.

 5. B Scan                                                                    $14,000

This ultrasound machine is used to diagnose problems at the back of the eye such as retinal detachments and eye tumours.  The B Scan allows for prompt and accurate diagnosis which can improve visual prognosis.  If the service had a B Scan it would be able to diagnose and manage in patients with an obscured retinal view.  Currently all suspect cases must be sent to Brisbane.

6. Synoptophore                                                       $12,000

The Synoptophore is a tool used in assessing small children and adults with ocular motility problems.  Usage of the Synoptophore allows for better planning and accuracy of outcome.  This machine is the only test available to fully assess 3D capability in someone with a constantly turned eye. Currently all suspect cases must be sent to Brisbane.

 7. Neonatal Kit                                                          $10,000

Provides a portable and mobile method of transporting diagnostic equipment for assessment of bed ridden patients including neonates.  The Kit must include:

Indirect ophthalmoscope

Direct ophthalmoscope

Retinoscope

Lens ruler

12 dioptre single prism

At present we have an incomplete kit available for this task.

 8. Imaging System for Theatre                                $35,000

This allows theatre staff to capture high definition clinical images of changes to the patients eye/eyes who are under anaesthetic. This will be retained as documentation of the state of the disease process, a component of the clinical record for other clinicians should the patient need referral. Further to this point current equipment available means that only one person may be able to see the eye in detail, this equipment plays an important role in teaching other clinical staff and allows the patient to see images of their own eye and the surgery undertaken to correct their problem.

 9. Slit Lamp Camera/ Beam Splitter                       $7,500

This is an additional attachment to a slit lamp, which is a special microscope used to examine eyes. This item differs from the above request in that the patients will be able to see their eye damage pre-operatively and the clinical staff will have a pre-operative image of the eye to refer to as part of a clinical record.

 10. Phoroptor                                                                        $7,700

A phoropter is an instrument commonly used by during an , containing different lenses used for refraction of the eye during sight testing, to measure an individual's and determine his or her ^. This equipment is important for determining a patient’s prescription for glasses.

 11. BQ900 Haag Streit Slit Lamp                            $24,000

Slit Lamps are a type of microscope used in the examination of every patient. A slit lamp is an instrument consisting of a high-intensity light source that can be focused to shine a thin sheet of light into the eye. It is used in conjunction with a . The lamp facilitates an examination of the , or frontal structures and , of the , which includes the , , , , natural , and . The binocular slit-lamp examination provides a stereoscopic magnified view of the eye structures in detail, enabling anatomical diagnoses to be made for a variety of eye conditions. A second, hand-held lens is used to examine the retina. The slip lamp in current use is an aged item of equipment with no expansion or upgradeable capacity, The Haag Streit model has superior resolution to the current unit.

 12. Goldmann Tonometer                                         $2,500

This is an essential attachment for the BQ900 Haag Streit Slit Lamp for measuring intraocular pressures. Tonometry is the procedure perform to determine the , the fluid inside the . It is an important test in the evaluation of patients with . Glaucoma is an eye disorder where the optic nerve suffers damage, permanently impacting vision in the affected eye(s) and progressing to complete blindness if untreated. Glaucoma has been nicknamed the "silent thief of sight" because the loss of vision normally occurs gradually over a long period of time and is often only recognised when the disease is quite advanced. Once lost, this damaged visual field cannot be recovered. Worldwide, it is the second leading cause of blindness. Glaucoma affects 1 in 200 people aged fifty and younger, and 1 in 10 over the age of eighty. If the condition is detected early enough it is possible to arrest the development or slow the progression with medical and surgical means. At present our service has limited capacity to manage glaucoma.

 13. Chair & Stand                                                      $10,000

This is the combined patient chair/table fixture to which the slit lamp is fitted, to enable patient examination. This is standard equipment that is both size matched and shape matched to the requested slit lamp.

 14. Ophthalmoscope x 2                                          $1,000 each

      Retinoscope x 2                                                   $1,000 each

These are precision hand held devices that provide bedside magnification to examine the eye.

 15. Vista Vision Snellen Chart x 2                           $5,000 each

This is a computerised version of the eye charts with letters, the LCD computerised version allows for more accurate and efficient determination of visual acuity. A significant component of this part of the request is the software that is required to run the vista vision system. This is state of the art visual acuity equipment not normally available to Queensland Health patients. 

 16. I-Care Tonometer                                               $5,500

This is a hand held portable device required for intraocular pressure measurement at the patient’s bedside. Most eye exams will occur in an area where patients can visit a doctors room, however patients in areas like the emergency department or patients admitted to a general ward may not be safe to transport out of their clinical area. This equipment will allow the eye assessment process to be mobile when required.

 17. Lens Boxes x 2                                                   $2,000 each

These are a set of multiple glass lenses that allow the patients sight to be tested under differing conditions and allows determination of refractive error (long-sightedness/short-sightedness) of the patient to be tested. The advantage of these lenses is that the patient will be given a good indication of the improvement in eye sight at the time the lenses are tested.

 18. Retinomax                                                           $15,000

Allows for automated determination of refractive error and corneal curvature, where patients are unable to give accurate subjective responses (eg, children and incapacitated patients).

 19. Vertometer                                                          $5,000

Vertometer is an ophthalmic bench instrument used to measure of a lens. A vertometer is a precision instrument used to locate, mark, and index a lens optical centre for edging, mounting, and construction of a . Our reason for needing this instrument is to check the quality of a patients existing prescription at the time of consultation.