Lions Eye Institute

🎉✨ Incredible news from Lions Outback Vision! ✨🎉 We are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded the $5 million prize in the Pilbara healthcare challenge, to revolutionise eye screening technology in our communities! 🏆👁️ The Challenge was a global callout for innovators to brainstorm, collaborate and ultimately establish a ground-breaking solution to revolutionise health care in the Pilbara. Our innovative mobile retinal camera, powered by cutting-edge AI, is set to transform healthcare delivery across regional and remote areas. This groundbreaking technology will bring on-the-spot diagnosis for eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, shown to be better than a retinal specialist! 🌏💖 A heartfelt thank you to the Western Australian Government, Rio Tinto, BHP and all the incredible partners who made this possible. Together, we’re paving the way for a healthier future for everyone in the Pilbara! 🙌 A big thank you to our incredible partners on the ground in the Pilbara who are making this AI leap into real-world practice possible: WA Country Health Service (WACHS), Royal Flying Doctor Service (WA), Diabetes WA, Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service (PAMS), Karratha Central Healthcare, Nintirri and Panaceum. Thank you also to our funding partners, the Future Health Research Innovation Fund, The McCusker Charitable Foundation, Telethon7 and The Fred Hollows Foundation for their unwavering support. We're proud to collaborate with our research partners, Aravind, The University of Western Australia, UCL, Google and University of Oxford, alongside our technology partners Optika Optomed and Topcon Healthcare Together we're driving change! Congratulations to all the other finalists and a special shout out to the Lyfe Languages project, which received an honourable mention for addressing language and cultural barriers between patients and healthcare providers. Here’s to innovation, community, and better vision for all! Read more: https://lnkd.in/g3uAPzfW 💫 #lionsoutbackvision #lionseyeinstitute #healthcareinnovation #pilbara #AIinhealthcare #bettervisionforall #thechallenge #reimagininghealthcare #research #funding #pilbarahealth Pictured below: Professor Angus Turner examining a patient's eyes, Dr Vaibhav Shah operating an ultra-lightweight head-mounted laser called the Norlase Lion and Lions Outback Vision staff with an optical coherence tomography machine using AI integration.

🌍👁️ World Sight Day: Can we prevent a global myopia crisis?👁️🌍 Did you know myopia (short-sightedness) is rapidly rising—and for some, it can lead to serious eye conditions like glaucoma, retinal detachment, and even blindness? 😮 🔍 The good news: Research from the Lions Eye Institute shows that spending more time outdoors is one of the best ways to slow myopia progression, especially for kids. Aim for two hours a day and remember — the early morning or late afternoon is safest for outdoor play, when UV levels are lower. 🌞🌿 📝 Early intervention matters too. Simple tests like measuring eye length can help identify children at risk of severe myopia before it progresses. 🌍 With myopia rates soaring globally, we all need to take action to protect our future vision. Let’s encourage more outdoor time and prioritise eye health for future generations. 👁️ Together, we can protect sight for the future! Read more: https://lnkd.in/gwB-bMA9 🌿💪 #eyehealth #myopiaprevention #lionseyeinstitute #sunsmart Pictured: Angus (who has early onset myopia) at the crease playing cricket with his family.

🎉 Countdown to fun! 🎉 Join us at the Telethon Family Festival on Sunday, 20 October from 10 AM to 4 PM at the RAC Arena, Level 1! 🌟 Meet our incredible researchers from the Lions Eye Institute and our friendly mascot, Iris.👁️✨ This free event is perfect for all ages. Bring your gold coin donation for access to the live broadcast inside the arena. Plus, enjoy Fare Free Sundays for free travel to the event. 🚍💨 Get ready for live performances, roving entertainment, face painting, FREE carnival rides, exhibits, activities, food trucks, and so much more! 🎶🎠🍔 Read more about the sight saving research that our Telethon grants have enabled in 2024: https://lnkd.in/g3G9XnNr Thank you to the Western Australian community for all your ongoing support of Telethon7 and the important paediatric eye research it enables! Don't miss out on a day of fun for a great cause. See you there! 🙌 #telethonfamilyfestival #lionseyeinstitute #telethon7 #telethon2024 #incredibletogether Pictured below: Dr Jessica Mountford showing Telethon Family Festival 2023 attendees her zebrafish myopia research, surgery bookings team leader Himani Gorad helping children play our Pin the Eyes on Iris game and Iris herself giving it a go. Go Iris!

Congratulations to Associate Professor Holly Chinnery, the Lions Eye Institute's inaugural Ian Constable Research Fellow, on the publication of her recent review article in Nature Reviews Immunology, a leading international monthly journal of science. New cutting-edge imaging equipment at the Lions Eye Institute, the HRT RCM, is providing world-first imaging of immune cells, revealing details previously unseen and accelerating research. The HRT RCM is being used by Associate Professor Chinnery and her team to further develop the discovery of T cells in healthy human corneas and is instrumental to their work. This technique, called Fun-IVCM, enables researchers to observe immune cells moving throughout the surface of the eye in the cornea. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gN5BR3uQ Pictured: Time lapse video showing immune cells crawling through the cornea of living human eyes. The fast moving cells are white blood cells and the bright white linear structures are corneal nerves.

🐦 Magpie breeding season poses risk to eye health 🐦 The Lions Eye Institute is issuing a public health alert to West Australians as magpie breeding season has begun, warning of increased eye injury risks. There are typically six to ten children each year in Western Australia who are treated for magpie swooping-related eye injuries, highlighting the importance of staying alert during the breeding season. Children are particularly vulnerable as they may not know the warning signs or how to properly respond to a magpie attack. “Now that swooping season is upon us, it’s important we are all aware of the dangers and how to protect ourselves. We have already treated several children for injuries around the eyes this season and luckily none have penetrated the eye,” paediatric ophthalmologist and clinician-researcher Dr Antony Clark said. For more information and to listen to Dr Clark speak with 6PR Perth radio host Julie-Anne Sprague, visit: https://lnkd.in/gC5Z8BMw

2024 Miocevich Lecture - Professor Camiel Boon Please join us for an insightful lecture by Professor Camiel Boon, a consultant ophthalmologist from Amsterdam University Medical Center and Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. Professor Boon's research focuses on clinical and genetic characteristics of hereditary retinal diseases and the development of innovative treatments such as gene therapy. His team is renowned for ground-breaking research on central serous chorioretinopathy and age-related macular degeneration. Date: Thursday 17 October Time: 5.30pm light refreshments, lecture starts at 6pm Venue: Ground Floor Seminar Room (G24), Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, 6 Verdun Street, Nedlands Brought to you by the Miocevich family. Secure your free tickets through Eventbrite as places are limited: https://lnkd.in/gwWrBab2

Jane, a Lions Eye Institute clinical trials participant with retinitis pigmentosa has written a poem she hopes might help other patients going through similar experiences. Jane was born with retinitis pigmentosa and was night blind as a child. Over the years, Jane’s eyesight has deteriorated, and she relies on her amazing husband to help her get around after having to stop driving herself many years ago. Jane was on a houseboat when she wrote this poem on her phone. She was feeling isolated because her sighted friends were all enjoying games and kayaking. When she returned home, she realised how much more independent she can be in her own home and familiar surroundings. "I’ve learnt to appreciate every day and not let the disease stop me. I know that today could be the best day of vision I have remaining and I hope my poem inspires others to keep going and not let their condition stop them,” Jane said. With her permission, we are sharing her poem with you here. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ghMzUhSh

🌻Spring Vision News is now here! 🌻 This edition is full of exciting updates from the Institute. Read about: 👩🔬 Associate Professor Holly Chinnery's research into corneal immunology 👨⚕️ A service called Lions InReach Vision, offering hope for new Australians ✨ A poem to inspire resilience in the face of adversity from a retinitis pigmentosa clinical trial participant Find out more about Spring Vision News and download a copy 👉👉 https://lnkd.in/ggRzpNEs You can receive future editions of Vision News by signing up to our mailing list 👉👉 https://ow.ly/2iqY50QYnI3

👁️Eye and tissue spotlight week👁️ This week DonateLife is bringing attention to eye and tissue donation. The cornea is the front window of the eye, allowing clear passage of light to the retina. Its transparency is crucial for sight. For people whose corneas fail, a corneal transplant is often the only hope to restore vision. This requires the valuable donation of a cornea from someone who is deceased to provide sight for a single recipient. There is a tremendous shortage of donor corneas worldwide - estimates suggest that only one in every 70 individuals who require a transplant will actually receive one. We are working on a new approach that involves the injection of cultured donor corneal cells to restore vision in individuals with corneal blindness. Pre-clinical results so far have been exciting, allowing us to potentially provide over 100 treatments from a single donor. Our research team comprises scientists and eye doctors from the Cell and Tissue Therapies WA laboratory at Royal Perth Hospital, the Lions Eyebank of WA and the Lions Eye Institute. Thank you for your support! To find out more about eye and tissue donation, please visit https://lnkd.in/gZz4DtDv

🌟 Meet Dino, a True Visionary 🌟 Dino has been living with glaucoma for years and understands the challenges it brings. But instead of letting it hold him back, he’s using his experience to help others. Dino, is not only a patient and clinical trial participant at the Lions Eye Institute, but he’s also chosen to leave a gift in his Will to support future vision research. "I hope my gift will make an impact in two ways: first, by supporting vital research into glaucoma and other work at the Lions Eye Institute; and second, by raising awareness about these important issues." – Dino, a Lions Eye Institute Visionary. We’re incredibly grateful for Dino’s dedication and vision for a brighter future. 🙏 Join Dino in supporting vital research by leaving a gift in your Will. Contact Darren Nicholls our Donor Relationships Coordinator for a confidential chat on (08) 6382 0551 or by emailing: darren.nicholls@lei.org.au