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Lions Eye Institute is redeveloping its Nedlands theatre suite to meet growing demand for eye surgery in Western Australia, driven by an ageing population and the rising prevalence of chronic eye conditions such as diabetic retinopathy. The staged redevelopment will modernise its two operating theatres and procedure room, and add a new dedicated laser surgery theatre. It also includes a modernised Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD), a new discharge lounge, and new pre- and post-operative bays to improve patient flow through the suite. Works are due for completion in March 2027.
"Our new theatres will give our surgeons the space and technology to treat more patients, sooner, and in greater comfort as demand for eye care continues to grow," said Lions Eye Institute Managing Director Dr Glen Power.
"Delivering a staged redevelopment while continuing to operate is always a challenge, especially in a building that sees more than 70,000 patient presentations a year. Our clinical and support teams have pulled together brilliantly to keep caring for patients throughout," he said.
The Lions Eye Institute, founded over 40 years ago by Professor Ian Constable AO, is both a major service provider and a major medical research institute, with programs of research encompassing diabetic retinopathy, inherited retinal diseases, glaucoma, experimental and clinical immunology, myopia, molecular sciences, physiology and pharmacology, translational vision sciences, ophthalmic data research and the epidemiology of the burden of eye diseases, as well as research into eye care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and service delivery to rural and remote regions. With around 290 staff, it is one of Australia's largest ophthalmology providers and among Perth's largest medical research institutes, with an active clinical trials program that brings new treatments to patients.
Lions Eye Institute opened its hospital and clinic building in Nedlands in the mid-1990s. It is co-located with Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital at QEII Medical Centre, Perth's major tertiary hospital. Lions Eye Institute also operates clinics in Perth's south (Murdoch) and east (Midland), and a major regional eye care facility in Broome in the state's far north. Together, the organisation treats more than 103,000 outpatients and inpatients each year.
As demand for eye care continues to grow, the new theatre suite will strengthen the Lions Eye Institute's capacity to protect and restore sight for West Australians for years to come.
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