Eye Surgery Showcase goes to Australian Parliament House

Eye surgeons and medical technology innovators took the ‘operating theatre’ to Australian Parliament House (APH), our politicians and healthcare policymakers this National Science Week.

The Australian Society of Ophthalmologists (ASO) hosted its inaugural Eye Surgery Showcase at APH on Wednesday, where participants learned how ophthalmologists and the medical technology industry are working together to save the sight of Australians.

The event was opened and closed by the Co-Chairs of the Parliamentary Friends of Eye Health Group, Hon Dr David Gillespie MP and Ms Meryl Swanson MP. 

Medical technology innovators Alcon, Device Technologies, Glaukos, Johnson and Johnson, and ZEISS brought the tech as local Canberra ophthalmologists guided politicians and healthcare policymakers as they ‘tried their hand’ at complex eye surgery.

ASO Chief Executive Officer, Kerry Gallagher AM, said ophthalmologists are leaders in addressing eye health diseases and conditions through surgical intervention, that often without, rob us of our sight and quality of life.

“Close to one in two Australians have one or more long-term eye conditions that impact upon the quality of their day-to-day life,” Mr Gallagher said.

“A further nine in 10 of us say that sight is our most valued sense, yet a remarkable 90 per cent of all cases of blindness in Australia are preventable.”

ASO President Dr Peter Sumich said the rate of unaddressed and treatable blindness will continue to increase in Australia if something does not change.

“By bringing global leaders in medical technology and local Canberra-based eye surgeons together at Australian Parliament House, we are taking a ‘hands on’, ‘experience it yourself’ approach to educating our elected representatives and healthcare policymakers on what is at stake,” Dr Sumich said.

“Australian eye surgeons and our medical technology industry are among the best in the world, yet our community eye health statistics are alarming for a first-world country.”

The ASO said it is aiming to increase understanding of the prevalence and surgical treatment of eye disease, awareness of the critical role of ophthalmologist in access to world-class eye health technology and surgical treatments, and appreciation of the innovative surgical technologies used in the prevention of blindness in Australia.

“If we can achieve this, we can work collaboratively with government on strategies and principles for the delivery of eye services to rural, remote, and Indigenous communities as well as improved access within the public sector to ophthalmology services,” Dr Sumich said.

Currently in Australia, a majority of ophthalmology services are delivered through the private health sector.

The ASO Eye Surgery Showcase is an officially recognised National Science Week 2024 Inspiring Australia event, an initiative of the Australian Government.