Collier Charitable Fund provides funding for a new laser to treat glaucoma

The Collier Charitable Fund, a charitable trust established in 1954 by three Melbourne sisters, has provided a grant to our hospital to enable the purchase of a laser used in the treatment of glaucoma.

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that slowly damage the nerve for vision at the back of the eye (‘optic nerve’) and is the leading cause of irreversible blindness.

The Eye and Ear conducts on average 1000 laser treatments per year. The hospital previously only had one glaucoma laser, but thanks to the Collier Charitable Fund grant, now has two.

Sarah Gladman, Acting Nursing Unit Manager of Specialists Clinics, said the laser has had a positive impact both for patients and medical staff.

“Having the second laser, funded by Collier Charitable Fund, has made a significant difference to the amount of laser procedures we can perform. It allows us to have two doctors performing laser procedures on any given day, instead of one, which ultimately doubles the number of patients we can help and decreases the wait time for patients – leading to improved vision outcomes,” she said.

The laser is used for procedures to reduce pressure in the eye and thereby reduce the risk of further vision loss due to glaucoma and to remove a cloudy capsule that forms in the lens of the eye following cataract surgery, resulting in improved vision.

Olivia Myeza, Director of Philanthropy and Fundraising at the Eye and Ear, said the grant will result in life-improving outcomes for many patients.

“We know that Alice, Annette and Edith Collier had a passion for improving the lives of Victorians. We hope they’d be proud to know that, thanks to the Collier Charitable Fund, roughly 1000 people in 2023 will receive laser treatment that prevents further vision loss or improves their vision. On behalf of each of these people, we extend our deepest thanks.”

This story featured in the Spring Edition of Sight + Sound.