It has been just over two years since I started cataract surgery in Kyneton and we are now coming up to the 200th patient.
The path to Kyneton was neither easy nor quick. It took me nearly two years to make it happen. I had to provide all the surgical instruments, the operating microscope and the phaco machine out of my own pocket.
At present what this means is that locals can have their cataract surgery without travelling to Melbourne or Bendigo. Of course, anyone wanting laser cataract surgery still has to come to Melbourne as Kyneton hospital is not about to buy an almost 1 million dollar machine for this.
In the end we were supported by Bausch & Lomb who kindly provided the phaco machine.
The practice at Kyneton was set up specifically to provide a surgical service to patients requiring cataract surgery and also to perform assessment for patients looking for laser refractive surgery. My arrival in Kyneton was timely as the previous ophthalmologist, retired about the same time. This has meant that in addition to surgical patients, I have inherited the local glaucoma population. This has worked out OK except for the fact that I do not have the equipment to fully asses glaucoma patients. Instead, I have been co-managing with the local optometrists which has worked quite well.
I am hopping that the Kyneton hospital sees the value of this service and allows us to increase our surgical numbers.