Vision-impaired kids at risk

The institute was founded in 1983 by Professor Ian Constable, who was recruited from Boston and attracted to the role as he could see the need to improve eye health care in the State.

Eye surgery was not universally available, patients had to travel interstate for some conditions, and rural and remote services were very limited.

At the time, Perth-based Lions clubs were running a successful glaucoma detection clinic, operated from a now-iconic caravan. The clubs went on to form the Lions Save-Sight Foundation WA to expand on this work.

Over the years, the leadership baton for the institute has passed from Professor Constable to Professor David Mackey and then to the current managing director, Professor Bill Morgan.

Some of the institute’s biggest breakthroughs and treatments include inventing the first soft artificial cornea; discovering gene therapy to treat wet age-

RSV in the spotlight

The Immunisation Foundation of Australia is running the first Respiratory Syncytial Virus Awareness Week from June 4-10. RSV is an unpredictable and potentially dangerous virus that puts thousands of infants in hospital each year and can potentially cause serious long-term health issues.

The RSV and Me campaign aims to generate awareness of RSV and its impact on Australian children, particularly babies, by encouraging parents to tell their stories.

Perth vaccination campaigner Catherine Hughes said she was related macular degeneration; and inventing the XEN gel stent, the most-used surgical glaucoma implant in the world.

Other developments were the Virna glaucoma drainage device, an affordable treatment for glaucoma used in Indonesia; the Barrett Universal II Formula used in cataract surgery; the central retinal vein occlusion bypass laser surgery procedure; and a significant scientific discovery into cytomegalovirus infections.

“Over the past 40 years, the Lions Eye Institute has discovered many new sight-saving treatments and therapies,” Professor Morgan said.

“This is largely due to the ability of our medical researchers to work closely with ophthalmologists, some of whom are researchers themselves, to ensure that patients receive the best possible and most advanced treatment available.” motivated to set up the event in part by her own experiences.

Since its beginnings in the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, the institute has opened clinics in Murdoch, Midland and Broome. In 2013, it introduced Lions Outback Vision to provide eye health care to the state’s remote, rural and Indigenous communities. It also partnered with the University of WA to establish the State’s first optometry school.

In the winter of 2016 – 18 months after her four-week-old baby boy Riley died from complications of whooping cough – her threeweek old baby Lucy was rushed to hospital with severe RSV. With prompt medical care, she fortunately recovered.

The foundation has information resources at www.ifa.org.au

Digging deeper

Child protection experts want doctors to broaden their duty of care to ensure that hidden trauma is not overlooked by more obvious physical symptoms and illnesses. The move is aimed at reducing growing rates of chronic disease and mental health issues in Australia, some of which are believed to be underlined by deepseated trauma as a result of child abuse and neglect. continued on Page 8 continued from Page 4

In a recent editorial published in the British Medical Journal, University of South Australia’s Professor Leonie Segal argued that a wholeof-person approach to medical care is vital to address poor health outcomes associated with child abuse and neglect.

Palliative Care WA has appointed Lenka Psar-McCabe as its CEO, with her most recent role being CEO of Perth Radiological Clinic, a position she held for almost 25 years.

Dr Vin Pushpalingam is the new director of the Rural Generalist Pathway at WA Country Health Service’s Medical Education Unit.

WA medicinal cannabis producer Cannaponics has appointed Perth cardiologist Dr Michael Nguyen as a non-executive director on its board.

Cyclowest has opened a $25 million cyclotron radiopharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Bayswater, using a $2.6 million grant awarded by the previous Federal Government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative.

Perth Children’s Hospital immunology consultant Clinical Associate Professor Kristina Rueter has received Telethon Trust funding to allow children taking part in the SYMBA allergy study to be followed up at the age of three.

Newman’s new $61 million health facility was officially opened last month, housing an emergency department, inpatient beds, medical centre, consultation spaces and a dental clinic.

“There is sound evidence that child abuse and neglect is causally related to very poor health, including early death,” she said.

“Many chronic diseases, including severe mental illness, chronic pain, substance use, and physical health conditions, especially those with an inflammatory pathway such as gastrointestinal, respiratory, and autoimmune disease, are more common in victims of child abuse and neglect.

“Yet too often, patients present with physical symptoms that are treated, without sufficient consideration of possible underlying trauma.

“We know that people who have suffered child abuse and neglect are more likely to have chronic disease, so we need to encourage clinicians to extend their care

Better care for kids’ burns

A new 3D scanner is set to revolutionise the care of children’s burns in WA.

The handheld device generates high resolution 3D maps of scarring in just seconds, allowing doctors at Perth Children’s Hospital to better manage scar treatment.

Funded by the Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, the scanner will allow clinicians to accurately measure and record details of scars during follow-up appointments, helping them to understand how the scar is changing over time and decide on the best course of treatment.

to consider possible underlying psychosocial causes.”

Thumbs up for downward dog

Many Australian psychologists are recommending complementary medicine, according to new research. The findings, published in the journal PLOS ONE, found that 90% of psychologists surveyed recommended complementary medicine products or practices to their clients, with the most common types being hypnotherapy, meditation and yoga.

The researchers from the University of Technology Sydney and Southern Cross University said policy and education development focusing upon this area of grassroots psychology practice would help ensure the care provided by all psychologists remained evidence-based, safe and optimal for their clients.

The WA Health Translation Network has been reaccredited as a NHMRC research translation centre for five years, while the WA Rural Research and Innovation Alliance has been recognised as an emerging research translation centre.

Burns surgeon Professor Fiona Wood, who is director of the Burns Service of WA, said that to the best of her knowledge, it was the first time in the world that a 3D scanner of this type had been used to generate an accurate measure of scarring.

“Having access to advanced technology like this is hugely exciting because it gives us the tools to improve clinical and research data. Ultimately, it will help WA to lead the way in burns care and scar reduction,” she said.

“At an individual patient level, having access to this data will also allow us to better understand those factors that influence scarring. This information can then be used to drive personalised treatment approaches and research to minimise scarring.”

Each year, about 500 children are admitted to PCH with a burn injury, with many requiring scar management. That can mean children wearing hot, uncomfortable pressure garments for 23 hours a day for up to two years, daily scar massage from parents, application of silicon products, and laser therapy or reconstructive surgery to release contractures as the child grows.

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