To make an appointment you can phone us on (07) 4081 3000 during opening hours Monday – Friday 8.00am – 5.00pm or fax on (07) 4027 9688. You  can press the link to send us an email at admin@cairnseyesurgery.com.au or alternatively fill out our contact form. You can download or print out our patient registration form to fill in prior to your appointment to save time by clicking here.

You will need a referral from your optometrist or doctor in order to claim money back from Medicare.

You will need to bring the following to your appointment

• Your Medicare Card and any private health insurers details
• A Current Referral ( from your Optometrist, GP or specialist)
• Your Medical History (including previous conditions and operations)
• A list of all your Medications and your Glasses
• Any pathology(blood tests, histology) or radiology reports ( such as X-rays, MRI, CT or ultrasound scans relating to your eye condition)
• You may require a driver to assist you to and from your appointment if your eyes are dilated
• A hat and sunglasses may help prevent glare after your eyes have been examined

Having a current referral allows you to claim money back from Medicare for your consultation, most additional tests and treatments provided to you at the Cairns Eye Surgery. The federal government also offers a Medicare Safety net for patients, which can cover up to 80% of your out of pocket expenses for those who qualify. A new referral is required for any new problems, without a new referral you will receive less money back from Medicare.

If you need to check your referral status please contact our reception staff, who will also inform you if a new referral is required for any future appointments.

The average time spent at an appointment is approximately 2 hours. During this time you will be asked to register as a patient, this can be done on arrival or you can download the registration forms here and fill them out before your appointment. An assessment of your vision will be made by our professional technicians, this may include your field of vision, photography of your eyes, and scans of the front and back of your eyes. Your ocular and medical histories will be taken, drops will be placed in your eyes to dilate your pupils and your vision will usually be blurred by these drops for about 4-6 hours. It is illegal to drive while these drops have dilated your pupils so it may be beneficial to bring a driver or arrange transport to collect you from the centre. An examination of your glasses will also be made. Please be aware if you have been made an appointment at short notice or urgently, you may have to stay longer during the appointment.

Cairns Eye Surgery is located at 77 Woodward St, Edge Hill. 

Please see the map for our location.

Cairns Eye Surgery is not a bulk billing practice. To claim full Medicare benefits you will need a current referral from your Optometrist or General Practitioner within the last 12 months, or if you are being referred by another specialist within the last 3 months to comply with Medicare regulations. You will be advised of the costs of consultation when an appointment is made, any additional tests or treatments required resulting in additional fees you will be informed of, at the time of your appointment.

Patients who are booked for major eye surgery will be given a quotation and written Informed financial consent with the costs and rebates from Medicare and their Private Health Insurers itemized. It is the responsibility of Private Health fund members to determine the amount their fund covers towards the costs of their surgery. Fees are due on the day of consultation, or when any additional tests or surgery are being performed. We accept cash, cheques, EFTPOS, bank transfers and most major credit cards (except AMEX and Diners Club).

When the lens of the eye becomes cloudy it is called cataract. This reduces the amount of light passing through the lens and scatters the light causing blurring of the images focused on the retina.

Cataract formation only affects the lens of the eye. As cataracts worsen a patient’s vision becomes more blurred. Some cataracts cause significant glare problems. Cataract surgery is performed to remove cataracts and replace them with artificial intraocular lenses that allow improved quality of vision for patients. Recent advances in cataract surgery techniques and artificial implant design have allowed many patients to see well in the distance, at the computer and read without glasses. Modern small incision cataract surgery as offered at Cairns Eye Surgery is one of the most successful surgical procedures performed.

Your decision on whether to undergo cataract surgery will depend on your answers to the following two key questions:

• Does your vision limit your activities?
• Are you willing to have an operation?

Your eye surgeon will examine your eyes and determine how much the cataract is contributing to your loss of vision and decide whether there would be benefit in removing your cataract.

Diabetes can cause damage to the retina. Diabetes can trigger retinal blood vessels to swell and leak blood and fluid into the surrounding retina and also give rise to new blood vessel formation. The leakage of fluid and swelling of the retina can affect a patients central vision when the macula region is involved. Haemorrhages can occur within the retina from the damaged blood vessels and into the vitreous from new blood vessels leading to impaired vision. The risk of diabetic eye disease increases with a patients duration of diabetes. 

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in Australia and New Zealand. Treatment to improve and prevent diabetic eye disease includes intraocular injections with anti-VEGF agents and or long acting steroids, laser therapy and in severe cases vitreo-retinal surgery.

The macular is located in the central area of the retina. This region is where we have our most sensitive vision allowing us to see fine details, read and see colours. Macular degeneration occurs when the macula is damaged. The commonest cause of macular degeneration is age-related macular degeneration which occurs in people over 50 years of age. The early signs of age-related macular degeneration include retinal pigmentary disturbances and the development of small deposits beneath the retina termed “drusen”. As age related macular degeneration progresses your vision may become distorted producing bits of missing vision, or waves in your central vision. 

The risk factors for age-related macular degeneration include increasing age, smoking, dietary influences and genetic susceptibility. There are 2 types of age-related macular degeneration- dry and wet. Dry age related macular degeneration progresses slowly and may benefit from vitamin supplements to slow its progress. Wet age-related macular degeneration occurs when new blood vessels grow from the choroid into the retina, this can cause bleeding into the retina resulting in scarring. Intraocular injections can be used to treat wet age-related macular degeneration and prevent scarring. It is important to know that once wet age-related macular degeneration has developed, injections may be required indefinitely. For more information and assistance you can click on the link to the Macular Disease Foundation.

Cairns Eye Surgery specializes in the latest intravitreal treatments for Age-related Macular Degeneration (ARMD), Retinal Vein Occlusion and Diabetic Macular Oedema. We are also equipped with the latest diagnostic technology such as high-resolution OCT scanning and Optos ultra-wide-field angiography to promptly diagnose your condition.

We endeavour to deliver sight saving therapy utilizing Anti-VEGF drugs and long acting steroid agents. We have many years of experience administering intraocular injections. Diagnosis to determine the need for these injections involves OCT scanning and or fluorescein angiography.

Glaucoma is a group of diseases causing the optic nerve at the back of the eye to be slowly damaged permanently. In glaucoma, the nerve fibres in the optic nerve are lost at a faster rate than normal. The single greatest risk factor for glaucoma is raised intraocular pressure, however some people can have normal intraocular pressures and still develop glaucoma. Vision loss from glaucoma commonly occurs in the peripheral visual field and may not be noticed until it has become advanced. 

The most effective way to treat glaucoma is to lower the eye pressure. Approximately 300,000 Australians have glaucoma and many patients may have glaucoma without experiencing any symptoms. The incidence of glaucoma increases with age, but glaucoma can occur at any age. If you have a family history of glaucoma or are worried you may have glaucoma you can make an appointment to have your eyes assessed.

Aqueous fluid inside the eye is produced by the ciliary body. The bulk of this fluid passes through the pupil and out of the eye via the trabecular meshwork. This is the main drainage mechanism of fluid from the eye. The trabecular meshwork is located in the periphery of the anterior chamber of the eye in the region where the iris meets the cornea. This area is called the “angle “ of the eye. In an eye with normal pressure aqueous fluid produced by the ciliary body is balanced by drainage through the trabecular meshwork. If this area is narrow it can cause impaired drainage of fluid out of the eye and raised intraocular pressure. Raised intraocular pressure can lead to glaucoma. Patients with narrow angles are at higher risk of developing acute angle-closure glaucoma which can cause a permanent complete loss of vision very quickly. To prevent this occurring in patients with narrow angles , laser peripheral iridotomies are performed to allow increased access of aqueous fluid to the trabecular meshwork.

Pterygium is a fibrovascular growth of tissue that extends from the white part of the eye (the sclera) onto the clear part of the eye (the cornea). Most pterygia grow from the nasal aspect of the cornea. Pterygia can interfere with sight by extending onto the cornea and impairing vision, they can also become recurrently irritated and inflamed. Pterygia are removed surgically and prevented from recurring by taking some of a patient’s own stem cells from the eye with a graft to prevent regrowth.

This operation is highly successful and usually gives an excellent cosmetic result.

After middle age, many people see small dark shapes described as “cobwebs”, ”strings” “insects” “rings” or “spots” that appear to float in their field of vision. These may appear intermittently or be permanent. These are termed “floaters”. Floaters become visible by casting shadows on the retina. With age the vitreous body liquefies and small particles of vitreous break away and float in this liquefied vitreous. Some floaters can be removed or treated with laser, this is called Yag Vitreolysis.

Flashes of light can occur with or without floaters. Flashes are usually caused by the vitreous body tugging on the retina. This often occurs as the vitreous body shrinks with age. Some flashes are more apparent in dim lighting. Flashes in bright light can indicate a retinal tear and these should be looked at quickly to prevent fluid entering a retinal tear and detaching the retina. You should be examined promptly if you develop these types of flashes, any black curtains, shadows or a sudden decrease in your vision. If you have any of these symptoms you may need to make an appointment urgently.

Visual field testing is used to diagnose and monitor patients with glaucoma, intracranial tumors, and other causes of raised intracranial pressures, and neurological diseases affecting the visual pathways including strokes and pituitary lesions. The commonest visual field test is called Computerized Perimetry and uses a machine to map out the threshold sensitivities of patients’ peripheral vison. This test requires a dark room and the patient to be able to concentrate on a screen for approximately 15 minutes per eye.

A trabeculectomy is drainage surgery used in the management of glaucoma.

The term Trabeculectomy refers to making a hole in the drainage area of the eye, to allow fluid from inside the eye to be released, thereby lowering the intraocular pressure.

Why do I need a Trabeculectomy?

Most glaucoma is treated by medical therapy in the form of eye drops.  In most cases the eye pressure is sufficiently lowered by the eye drops to reduce the risk of vision loss from glaucoma.  In some cases the pressure lowering is not sufficient and requires further treatment.  The current options are tablets, laser or drainage surgery.  Generally, tablets are only used in the short-term for pressure control as they are associated with side-effects.  Laser, also, does not generally have a long-term effect and is utilised mainly if surgery is not safely possible.

What is involved with Trabeculectomy?

Trabeculectomy is performed as Day Surgery and does not require overnight admission. It is necessary to stop aspirin, warfarin, anti-inflammatories, fish oil or any other blood thinning medications 7 days prior to surgery. Local anaesthesia with sedation is preferred as it is safer for the patient and provides more rapid recovery.   General anaesthesia can be performed in certain patient indications. The procedure takes one to one and a half hours, depending on the complexity of the glaucoma.

The aim of the surgery is to create a one-way flap valve from the inside of the eye to under the conjunctiva of the eye.  The fluid subsequently passes from this small reservoir (bleb) back into the blood vessels of the conjunctiva.  It does not result in more tearing from the eye as there is no external drainage of the fluid.  During the operation anti-scarring agents such as Mitomycin C are used to optimise the long-term drainage of the fluid from the eye.

What happens after the operation?

A pad/shield is worn on the first night.  As the eye can be uncomfortable due to the nature of the surgery, it is advised to rest and take oral analgesia if required.  It is advised to sleep slightly elevated on two to three pillows during the first night to prevent overdrainage of fluid.  No eye drops need to be administered on the first night.

The next day your eye will be reviewed.  The eye pad will be removed, the eye cleaned and the trabeculectomy site checked.  If you bring your post-operative eye drops, the first dose will be put in for you.

The first 3-4 weeks are critical in establishing the flow through the trabeculectomy site. We may need to see you twice a week during that period in order regulate the flow.  This may involve massaging your eye and possibly removing sutures.

It is expected that your vision will fluctuate in the first few weeks, due to the variable drainage of fluid, but will eventually stabilise.

What are the side-effects of Trabeculectomy surgery?

For any eye surgery there is the risk of infection, bleeding, loss of vision and the potential for retinal problems.  Trabeculectomy surgery, in particular, can be associated with problems of under or over drainage following the surgery either due to loosening of the sutures or wound leak.  Occasionally, if the drainage is not controlled, then the trabeculectomy may need to be revised, which involves going back to the operating theatre.  This does not occur frequently but if required, it is in the best interest of your eye.

Patients generally have 1 week off work depending on how the eye is healing and the nature of their work.  More physical work (lifting more 10kg or involving prolonged bending over), especially in dusty or dirty conditions, should be avoided in the first month.  It is wise to wear sunglasses during the day and a shield at night.

The ultimate goal of trabeculectomy surgery is to reduce the pressure in the eye to a level that will slow the vision loss. Due to the progressive nature of glaucoma no current treatment cures the condition, however, achieving lower stable eye pressures gives you the best long-term chance to maintain a functional level of vision.

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a recently designed imaging technique used to provide unprecedented high resolution and cross-sectional images of the eye. The OCT scan allows microstructures of the eye to be imaged and shows different colour-

coded layers of the retina. It is particularly useful in the diagnosis and management of age-related macular degeneration, diabetic macular oedema, macular hole, epiretinal membrane, vitreo-macular traction syndrome and glaucoma. It has also become a gold standard in monitoring the efficacy of intravitreal anti-VEGF injections (Eylea, Lucentis or Avastin) for age-related macular degeneration and tailoring treatment regimes.

An OCT scan is very quick to perform and it is completely painless and non-invasive. Results are available instantaneously and it is a great way for patients to gain a better understanding of their eye condition.

An A-scan ultrasound and IOL Master ocular biometry are used to provide gold standard accurate measurements for intraocular lens implant powers used in cataract surgery. Ultrasonic and light waves are used to measure dimensions of the eye and calculate the required lens power to help you achieve clear vision after your surgery.

B-scan ultrasonography is commonly used to provide a cross-sectional image of the internal structures of the eye. It is often used to measure tumours, or to detect retinal or choroidal detachment. It is also used when the view of the retina is obscured and can not be examined clearly, such as in cases of vitreous haemorrhage, dense cataract, or in trauma patients. The technique is very quick to perform, non-invasive, and completely safe.

Panretinal laser photocoagulation is performed in proliferative diabetic retinopathy to prevent severe vitreous haemorrhage. The laser causes regression of the abnormal blood vessels which grow at the back of the eye on the retina in diabetic patients.

Each session takes approximately half an hour and multiple sessions (average 3-4 per eye) may be required to treat the proliferative diabetic retinopathy. To avoid discomfort during the procedure analgesics such as Nurofen or Panadol may be taken before the laser session. The eye can be irritated and blurred for a few days following the laser surgery. With time, you may notice some decrease in night vision and peripheral vision. This occurs due to the laser treatment, but is necessary in order to control the proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Focal laser may be performed for in cases of diabetic maculopathy to seal the leaking blood vessels that cause reduced vision.

Approximately 20% of patients may develop a film behind the artificial lens implant after cataract surgery causing hazy, decreased vision or glare disability. This condition is called “posterior capsular opacification”. This condition is not preventable but is very treatable with Yag laser capsulotomy to restore or improve vision. Yag laser capsulotomy removes the film behind the lens implant. This procedure is painless and usually takes only a few minutes. It is not unusual to experience some floaters the are generally only temporary. If at any time you experience a large number of floaters or flashes of light after having a yag capsulotomy you should contact us immediately. Post laser treatment you may be given some pressure lowering medication and anti-inflammatory drops.

This latest technology combines the power of corneal topography with Schemflug images to enable analysis and imaging of the cornea and anterior segment in an unprecedented fashion.

The information gained is extremely valuable in assessing the cornea prior to and after surgery, particularly for lamellar corneal grafting as well as insights into the angle and iris, aiding the diagnosis and management of complex glaucoma. Conditions benefiting from this advanced equipment include keratoconus, corneal scarring, narrow-angle glaucoma, plateau iris syndrome and anterior segment dysgenesis.

Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT) is a simple, yet highly effective laser procedure that reduces intraocular pressure in glaucoma. SLT is a painless procedure. It works by using short pulses of low energy light to target melanin and pigment cells in the trabecular meshwork. This causes remodelling of the trabecular meshwork which improves drainage and lowers the intraocular pressure. SLT can be repeated up to 3 times in one eye and can give patients up to 20 years off topical medications for glaucoma.

If you currently suffer with glaucoma and would like to be assessed for SLT to determine if this procedure may make you less dependent on taking anti-glaucoma drops, please contact us to make an appointment.

Patients having narrow angles inside their eye, can develop raised intraocular pressure and even acute angle closure glaucoma leading to a complete loss of vision. In order to prevent this occurring a laser beam can be used to create small holes in the iris which allow trapped fluid behind the iris an alternative route for drainage and opening of the angles preventing angle closure glaucoma. This provides an alternative pathway for fluid to move freely into the trabecular meshwork (the main drainage mechanism of the eye.) You may be given eye pressure lowering medications and anti-inflammatory drops after having laser peripheral iridotomies performed.

MIGS is an acronym for Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery. There are various devices used in minimally invasive glaucoma surgery to lower the intraocular pressure and decrease patients’ dependence or need to use eye drops for their glaucoma. These include devices designed to bypass the trabecular meshwork such as the iStent.

iStent® Trabecular Micro-Bypass System

iStent® trabecular micro-bypass system is a FDA-approved device that has been developed to address the limitations of current medical and surgical approach for the treatment of glaucoma. The iStent bypasses the trabecular meshwork that may be obstructed and is placed in Schlemm’s canal to potentially improve the outflow of the eye’s natural fluid (aqueous humour) and  to lower the pressure inside the eye by creating a permanent opening in the trabecular meshwork. Implantation of this stent into Schlemm’s canal allows aqueous humor to drain directly from the anterior chamber into the canal bypassing the obstructed trabecular meshwork.

The iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent is indicated for use in conjunction with and after cataract surgery for the control of intraocular pressure in adult patients with mild to moderate open-angle glaucoma currently treated with ocular hypotensive medication.

For more information on this micro invasive glaucoma surgery device please visit http://www.glaukos.com/

Yag Vitreolysis is also called “Floater busting”. It is a non-invasive, pain free procedure that can eliminate the visual disturbance caused by floaters. The goal of vitreolysis is to remove the hindrance caused by floaters. Vitreolysis works by applying nanosecond pulses of laser to evaporate vitreous opacities and cut vitreous strands. During this process the collagen and hyaluronic acid molecules are converted to gas. This results in the floater being removed or reduced in size so it does not impede vision . If you have problems with floaters you can make an appointment to have them assessed for treatment at Cairns Eye Surgery.