April 2018

SPECIAL FEATURE: RANZCO 2018
Zeiss
Clarus 500 is the next generation, ultrawidefield
fundus imaging system from Zeiss,
providing true colour and high-resolution
across a 200-degree ultra-wide image.
The true colour images are essential for
differential diagnosis. Each can be split into
red, green and blue channels. In addition,
fundus auto-fluorescence images are
available, displaying important information
about RPE health. Utilising Zeiss optics, the
Clarus 500 achieves seven-micron resolution,
eyelash-free images allowing the user to
zoom in to visualise fine details. Lastly,
being based on a traditional fundus camera
design and utilising an IR preview, the
Clarus provides a more comfortable patient
experience whilst avoiding inconvenient
recaptures.
Device Technologies
Visit our stand at RANZCO NZ and experience
the revolutionary Topcon Triton Swept
Source OCT-A and other exciting innovations
first hand. Learn more about our range
of ergonomic and time-saving devices:
EndoOptik endo-camera and laser system,
Quantel lasers, a full range of chairs and
stands, new polarised Frey VA charts and
perimeters. Also on display will be the
Maestro OCT providing a one-click wide
scan plus all relevant retinal info. in a single
report. It’s an easy to use, reliable, affordable
and space-saving combo-OCT (anterior scan
and networking available). Plus we have the
agnostic Synergy Ophthalmic Data System
which integrates virtually every ophthalmic
device into one intuitive platform and is
compliant with all the major international
medical communication protocols.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10
and environmental data on 2000 20-year old Raine
Cohort participants. A follow-up study of these
participants at age 27 commenced in 2017, while
a new study he started in 2012 is examining the
positive-negative effects of UV sun exposure.
How did you come to focus on this area of eye
health?
I am an ophthalmic geneticist, which is an
uncommon subspecialty in ophthalmology. I’ve
always been interested in genetics, since school.
During medical school, I was also fascinated
by ophthalmology, so I combined them in my
fellowships at the Royal Children’s Hospital
in Melbourne, the Johns Hopkins Centre for
Hereditary Eye Disease in the USA and Moorfields
Eye Hospital in London.
Genetics are at the cutting edge of science and
we have been part of the major discoveries of
genes associated with many different eye diseases.
We learn new pathways for disease and can predict
those at high risk, and in diseases like glaucoma or
retinoblastoma we can intervene to reduce vision
loss.
Can you tell us about your talks this year?
I am giving four talks. First, an overview of where
genetics is taking us. Gene therapy to treat eye
disease has been in the press a lot of late with a
treatment just licenced in the US being marketed
at $850,000! (Luxturna, NZ Optics Feb 2018, p21).
However, we need to consider genetic testing to
prevent genetic eye disease, which may be cheaper.
Plus, the new technologies for visually impaired
people like smart phone apps and driverless cars
offer an exciting future of independence. We need
to follow all these paths.
Second, we have been studying families to find
glaucoma genes since the Glaucoma Inheritance
Study in Tasmania began in 1994. In the coming
months, several papers will show a large number
of genes causing adult glaucoma are also the ones
that cause childhood glaucoma.
Third, there is a global epidemic of myopia, where
a lack of time outdoors is a contributing factor.
However, in Australia and New Zealand, where we
already have the highest risk of skin cancer, what
will happen if we send our kids outdoors more to
prevent myopia?
Fourth, a disease I studied for my doctorate thesis
called Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy is now
undergoing clinical trials for a new gene therapy.
Dr Brendan Vote
Dr Brendan Vote is
a clinical associate
professor with the
University of Tasmania
and a vitreoretinal and
cataract specialist. He
was a medical officer in
the RAAF for six years
before commencing his
ophthalmology training
in Dunedin and completing retinal fellowships in
Auckland, Brighton and at Moorfields Eye Hospital
in London. He established the Tasmanian Eye
Institute in 2008 to offer research, educational
and ophthalmic service to the Tasmanian
community.
He is currently involved in multicentre trials
assessing intravitreal therapies in diabetic
maculopathy, age-related macular degeneration
(AMD) and vascular occlusion, including evaluating
the long-term effectiveness of Lucentis for the
treatment of MD in a large cohort of patients
treated now for more than 10 years. He has also
been an active researcher of femtosecond laser
in cataract surgery through the first prospective
comparative cohort study, which began in 2012.
Can you tell us about your topics at RANZCO NZ?
My first topic is ‘Lessons from my 10+ year macular
degeneration relationship utilising intravitreal
injections’; the second is, ‘Cataract surgery and a
doctor’s role in emerging technologies’; the third,
‘CRISPR-Cas 9 is the exponential game changer
in gene therapy; and the fourth, ‘Crypto currency,
Blockchain and healthcare – a dystopian future or
necessary evolution?’.
I am always excited by the technological
breakthroughs we are making. But I like to see
how these will apply in the real world beyond the
marketing and hype. I suppose that makes me an
enthusiastic sceptic; keen to try new things but
looking for the evidence it works.
What are you looking forward to at this year’s
meeting?
I think the New Zealand meeting is one of the best,
as it has the perfect mix of science and social, so I
always look forward to attending.
I enjoy hearing from speakers without industry
associations presenting their research and insights.
The New Zealand RANZCO Branch meeting has
always had this balance and I think this is where
more of our international scientific congresses
need to head.
Associate Professor
Lyndell Lim
Associate Professor
Lyndell Lim is principal
research fellow at the
Centre for Eye Research
Australia (CERA) at the
University of Melbourne,
where she also heads the
Clinical Trials Research
Unit. A consultant
ophthalmologist at the Royal Melbourne Hospital
and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
(RVEEH), where she leads the Ocular Immunology
Clinic, her sub-specialities include medical retina
and ocular inflammatory disease. Her current
areas of research include the possible role of
inflammation in the pathogenesis of several
retinal diseases such as AMD, as well as clinical
studies in diabetic retinopathy and uveitis.
At RANZCO NZ, A/Prof Lyndell Lim will be
presenting on cataract surgery in patients with
uveitis and diabetic macular oedema; and ‘the rise
and rise of infectious uveitis’. Other topics to be
confirmed.
Why eye health and research?
I became a doctor because I liked the idea of
helping people; an ophthalmologist, as it’s the
perfect blend of medicine and surgery; a uveitis
specialist, because no one patient with uveitis is
the same and there are so many unknowns; and a
researcher because it presents the chance to make
a real difference to patients’ lives.
As a doctor, you can help hundreds to thousands
in your lifetime of work. But as a researcher, you
have the chance to help millions.
What are you most excited about for this year’s
meeting?
The chance to talk about uveitis and my research
is always fun, especially with such a nice group of
people.
Ophthalmic nurses
keynote: Helen
Gibbons
Heading up the New
Zealand Ophthalmic
Nurses Group Meeting,
Helen Gibbons is currently
the clinical lead nurse
(education and research)
at Moorfields Eye Hospital
in London. She has
extensive clinical ophthalmology experience in
pre- and post-operative care, out-patients and
establishing a nurse-led ophthalmic emergency
clinic within a district general hospital. Gibbons
was the first nurse to be trained to perform
Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy and Nd:Yag laser
iridotomy. She has used her knowledge to help
develop more skilled nursing roles in a new eye
hospital in Accra, Ghana, and visits every 18
months to support the team.
How did you come to your profession?
At 18, I had a place to undertake my Enrolled
Nurse training but there was an 18-month wait,
so I got a job as a nursing auxiliary which was on
an ophthalmic ward. I loved ophthalmology. The
only other speciality I considered was cardiology,
however, on qualifying I was one of two people
from my set to be offered a job, mine was parttime
so I decided to apply back to my old ward and
focus on ophthalmology.
Throughout my career the patients have always
been my main focus. As a nurse practitioner, I
enjoyed treating my patients independently giving
the best care I could and when performing YAG laser
capsulotomies, I never tired of seeing the joy of
patients’ vision improving. Now, as an educator, I get
so much pleasure out of supporting and developing
future ophthalmic nurses, but I still enjoy patient
contact when I support staff in their clinical areas.
What are you focusing on at RANZCO NZ?
I am giving five presentations at the conference:
how we train our staff to understand what it’s like
to have a visual impairment; the research link nurse
programme we have introduced at Moorfields to
encourage nurses to take part in nursing research
and audit; advance practice roles for nurses at
Moorfields; the ‘New to Ophthalmology’ Induction
programme for staff new to ophthalmology; and
my work in Korle Bu, West Africa. All the topics are
relevant to everyday practice and I have learnt from
each experience and subject.
Craig: 027 565 7200 Robert: 027 565 7720 P: 0800 657 720 info@oppmed.co.nz
Corneal Lens Corporation (CLC)
Corneal Lens is very excited to be showcasing
our new eyecare range at the RANZCO NZ
conference.
Our premium range Evolve highlights four
different formulations which are designed
to target specific areas of dry eye. The
Evolve range is a generation 2 technology,
preservative-free delivery system, which
gives the multi-dose benefits of a single dose
unit with the familiarity of a standard bottle.
It has a soft, squeezable bottle to improve
ease of use offering the blue-tip technology
designed to improve accuracy of dispensing
a drop and maintaining a preservative-free
environment. The Evolve range consists of HA
2, Carmellose 0.5%, Hypromellose 0.3% and
Eyelid Wipes.
Designs for Vision
Designs for Vision is turning 40 and is
thrilled to be associated with RANZCO NZ.
To celebrate, DFV has assembled a number
of state-of-the-art instruments for delegates
to view and to talk to the experts about. The
Oculus Pentacam AXL, the gold-standard
for anterior segment analysis, now comes
with biometry including Barrett in the IOL
calculator. Combine this with the Corvis
ST for true IOP measurement, incredibly
sensitive ectasia detection and cross-linking
visualisation – the complete package for
the glaucoma and refractive surgeon. Also
on show will be the Tomey OA-2000 Optical
Biometer: topography, pachymetry, axial
length, pupil diameter, Barrett, all at a class
leading price.
12 NEW ZEALAND OPTICS April 2018