Speaking to Senior Ophthalmologist, Justin Mora, we take an in-depth look at Auckland Eye, whose sights are set on offering world-class eye care and superior treatment.
EYE CARE EXCELLENCE
The human eye is truly amazing.
We discover far more about our surroundings with our eyesight than any of the other four senses combined. In fact, approximately 80 percent of all the information we learn about the world comes through our eyes.
Protection of our eyes is therefore paramount, and Auckland Eye has all angles covered when it comes to the treatment of this crucial organ.
Established in the mid-1990s, Auckland Eye was the first sub-specialist practice to be set up in New Zealand’s most populous urban area.
The company’s team of highly trained ophthalmologists, who comprise some of the most qualified surgeons in New Zealand, assess and manage a comprehensive range of eye care treatments such as laser vision correction, cataract surgery, glaucoma, eyelid surgery, paediatrics, and retinal surgery.
“We are able to care for all ophthalmic conditions and cover all ophthalmic specialties in our state-of-the-art practice and surgical facilities, which are purpose-built for eye surgery procedures,” opens Justin Mora, a Senior Ophthalmologist at Auckland Eye.
PATIENT CARE
Auckland’s premier eye surgery facility is Oasis Surgical, owned and operated by Auckland Eye and designed to be utilised by leading eye surgeons as well as surgical specialists in other fields of medicine.
Both Auckland Eye and the multi-million-dollar, multi-theatre Oasis Surgical facility offer superior treatment and world-class care in a relaxed, friendly environment. Together, they comprise a procedure and consulting group in Auckland that is accredited for the quality of its patient care.
“With the way that the Auckland Eye team cares for its patients, builds strong relationships and provides the very best of care, we really do pride ourselves on excellence,” Mora stresses.
“Our unique peer environment provides a continuous and transparent process of performance review, advice and support between consultants, who are experts in their field.”
By providing life-changing eye care through comprehensive clinical excellence and innovation, Auckland Eye’s vision is to be the most trusted eye experts in New Zealand.
“With the way that the Auckland Eye team cares for its patients, builds strong relationships and provides the very best of care, we really do pride ourselves on excellence”
Justin Mora, Senior Ophthalmologist, Auckland Eye
CLOSER TO HOME
With the completion of an additional new site in Ormiston, South Auckland, which has both clinical and surgical capabilities, Auckland Eye is trying to support community growth by providing services that are closer to the homes of patients.
It comes as part of a wider expansion strategy, as the New Zealand Ministry of Health pursues the desire for care to be provided closer to home for everyone.
“Auckland Eye has been positioning its services to reflect this, with outreach clinic hubs in northern, southern and central Auckland as well as strategic partners in Whangarei and soon in Queenstown,” Mora outlines.
As Auckland and the whole of New Zealand learns to live with COVID-19, Auckland Eye is also reshaping its services to provide care safely as the disease becomes endemic in the country.
“Ophthalmologic care requires clinicians to be very close to people when examining their eyes and providing surgical treatment, so ensuring safety is extremely important.”
The company’s expansion strategy has been complemented by the adoption of telehealth services, albeit they are inherently more complicated for eye care which traditionally requires ophthalmic equipment to test and measure people’s vision.
Telehealth has, however, been successfully utilised in other ways by Auckland Eye, for instance to assess the urgency of face-to-face care and for post-operative follow-ups.
“Frequent peer sessions have also been conducted on Zoom and other video conferencing platforms to ensure ongoing collaboration, growth, and the sharing of ideas to promote a better service for both patients and staff,” adds Mora.
“Clinical research trials are a wonderful opportunity to partner with pioneering companies and contribute to innovations that deliver better eye care”
Justin Mora, Senior Ophthalmologist, Auckland Eye
NEW TREATMENTS
For the treatment of dry eye, a widespread condition that has very few real treatment solutions, Auckland Eye has invested in a new LipiFlow machine that restores dysfunctional meibomian glands.
LipiFlow is a procedure designed to treat the root cause of evaporative dry eye, which can be caused by blocked meibomian glands. The LipiFlow treatment opens and clears these glands, allowing them to resume the natural production of lipids needed for healthy tears.
“An activator eyepiece is used to apply precisely controlled heat to the inner eyelid to encourage the body to restart the natural production of lipids,” Mora explains. “Its single-use design and built-in sensors ensure a safe, sterile treatment.”
Auckland Eye is also proud to be the most experienced provider of ReLEx SMILE laser vision correction in Auckland, having treated thousands of eyes since its introduction in March 2015.
SMILE represents the most significant advancement in laser eye surgery for over a decade, as it provides a minimally invasive treatment for the correction of myopia and astigmatism using femtosecond laser technology.
Combining the proven safety of traditional vision correction techniques with even greater comfort and precision, surgeons around the world have embraced SMILE as an effective laser eye surgery procedure.
CRUCIAL RESEARCH
Research plays a critical role at Auckland Eye, who frequently partners with companies to run clinical research trials together with its comprehensive research department.
The department was established by Dr Dean Corbett, one of Auckland Eye’s world-leading ophthalmologists, having spotted the opportunity to assess new lenses and devices that could enhance vision and improve patient outcomes across all areas of ophthalmology.
“Clinical research trials are a wonderful opportunity to partner with pioneering companies and contribute to innovations that deliver better eye care,” shares Mora.
Auckland Eye has been performing clinical trials for more than 15 years and is proud to have contributed to a number of successful outcomes.
The trial of an AcuFocus Corneal Inlay to treat presbyopia was one such undertaking, in which Auckland Eye was part of the international team that helped to make this product commercially available worldwide, achieving FDA approval in April 2015.
The company was even the first clinic in the world to use the market leading TECNIS Symfony EDOF IOL (Extended Range of Vision Intraocular Lens), which paved the way for an entirely new branch of products to enhance the lifestyle results for patients undergoing cataract surgery.
Auckland Eye was also the first to recruit a patient for the clinical trial of Oculeve, a new device for the relief of dry eye.
“We recruited the highest number of participants in Australasia for the trail. Oculeve is now FDA-approved and went on to sell for $55 million,” Mora reveals.
As New Zealand’s centre of excellence for eye care, Auckland Eye is the leading the way towards brighter, clearer vision for all.
