Ophthalmic Department eyes increased number of operations

Mater Dei Hospital has started eating into the waiting list of Cataract operations, with more operations being performed than the number of new cases  put on the list, ophthalmic surgeon Thomas Fenech said this morning.

He was speaking at the inauguration of  new, top-of-the-line equipment which will enable surgeons to perform the ophthalmic equivalent of keyhole surgery on patients having retina problems or needing vitrectomy.

The equipment, which cost 140,000 euros was commissioned last week and means quicker and safer operations and faster recovery times for patients. 300 to 400 euros worth of consumables are used in each operation.

Health Minister Joseph Cassar, who was present for the inauguration, praised the Ophthalmic Department for its work. He said that operations were now being performed in two theatres, and thanks to the cooperation of doctors and nurses, operations will also be performed daily in the afternoon.

The minister noted that in the last full year of services at St Luke's Hospital, the department performed 2,000 eye operations, of which just over 1,000 were cataract operations.

Over the past year, 4,000 operations were performed, of which 2,400 were cataract operations. For next year, the target is for more than 3,000 cataract operations to be held, which will mean that waiting time for those needing a cataract operation under local anaesthetic will be reduced to under a year. It is currently two years.

Dr Cassar regretted that some patients opted to have their operations under full anaesthetic, when waiting time is currently between three and four years. The main problem here, the minister said, was that such patients would require a hospital bed for a longer time.

The minister also noted that the waiting list for cornea operations has been practically eliminated.