New clinic dedicated to dry eye disease

Mr Dean Powrie, CEO and Dr Kerrie Meades, medical director, of personalEYES have for some time been aware of the lack of quality support for this patient group and, in response, have established the Dry Eye Institute.{{quote-a:r-w:450-I:2-Q: What we’re most encouraged by is the extrely positive feedback that patients have given -WHO:Dean Powrie, Dry Eyes Institute CEO}}According to Powrie, the Institute – which became fully staffed and operational this week following an extended soft opening – has generated a lot of positive feedback already.“We’re really excited, we appreciate the support that we’re getting so far from referrers and what we’re most encouraged by is the extrely positive feedback that patients have given,” he said.“We’ve had a number of patients that have come through the doors that have had numerous consultations in the past, with many, many challenges, and they’ve left feeling like they’re better informed and with a treatment modality that they feel is working. That’s really what it’s about.”The decision to launch a specialist clinic independent of personalEYES, along with a significant investment in the latest, state-of-the-art technology will allow optometrists and ophthalmologists to be motivated to collaborate in offering the best possible care for their patients. Powrie said increased collaboration between the two professions was the philosophy throughout the entire personalEYES network, not just the Institute.“Optometrists are ideally positioned to be primary eyecare providers and I think for us to be able to provide the comprehensive care that patients need we should be working together hand in glove, otherwise we won’t provide Australians with the best eyecare we can,” Powrie explained.The Dry Eye Institute is the only eyecare facility in Australasia to have invested in Endoret-Autologous Rich in Growth Factors technology. The ability to create autologous tear supplents high in growth factors whilst roving all inflammatory mediators offers a new solution for patients with non-healing anterior surface eye disease.Initial consultations include meibum analysis, blink analysis, meibography, non-invasive tear break up time, osmolarity, MMP-9, anterior segment staining and imaging as well as routine slit lamp examination.Treatment plans are customised to each patient based on their clinical findings and may include IPL, Lipiflow Thermal Pulsation, Compounded prescription ocular medication, oral medication or diet modification.In addition, a visiting general practitioner who specialises in integrated medicine visits fortnightly to provide consultation on cases where patients also require supportive treatments for their associated systic conditions.More information: concierge@dryeyeinstitute.com.au or visit: dryeyeinstitute.com.au