Mission Medical research Chairman Stephen Pearce Phone +61 8 9381 0777 | Focus Eye disease Managing Director David Mackey Founder Ian Constable | |
Established 1983; 34 years ago (1983) Faculty University of Western Australia Address 2 Verdun St, Nedlands WA 6009, Australia Hours Closed today SaturdayClosedSundayClosedMonday8AM–5PMTuesday8AM–5PMWednesday8AM–5PMThursday8AM–5PMFriday8AM–5PM Similar Lions Laser Vision Ce, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth Eye Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Royal Perth Hospital Profiles | ||
Courier of eyesight the lions eye institute
The Lions Eye Institute (LEI) is an Australian medical research institute with a focus on scientific discovery and techniques used to reduce suffering from blinding eye conditions. Established in 1983 through the support of the Lions Club of Australia, the Institute is affiliated with the University of Western Australia and is located in the Perth suburb of Nedlands, Western Australia.
Contents
- Courier of eyesight the lions eye institute
- Lions eye institute the science of sight the gift of vision
- Overview
- Services
- Research activities
- Ophthalmologists
- Research groups
- References
Professor David Mackey has been the Managing Director since 2009.
Lions eye institute the science of sight the gift of vision
Overview
In 1975 the Lions Save-Sight Foundation (LSSF) established the Lions Chair in Ophthalmology at the University of Western Australia. Professor Ian Constable AO was appointed to this position and subsequently established the Lions Eye Institute in 1983.
The LEI employs scientists, clinicians and support staff to conduct scientific research into blindness and incorporates one of Australia’s largest ophthalmic practices. The Institute also houses a Laser Vision Centre – Western Australia’s refractive surgery centre, the Lions Eye Bank – responsible for the collecting, processing and distribution of corneal and scleral tissue throughout Western Australia, Lions Optics and the LSSF.
The Institute actively participates in numerous clinical trials which enable scientists,ophthalmologists and pharmaceutical companies to develop new treatments for eye diseases.
The institute's funding comes from clinic operations, grants from organisations such as the National Health and Medical Research Council, individual benefactors and the LSSF.
Services
Besides providing regular clinical services, the institute provides: LASIK surgery at the Lions Laser Vision Center; cataract micro-surgery and lens implantation; plastic surgery of the eyelids including blepharoplasty, ptosis repairs, pterygia, conjunctival grafts and corneal grafts at the Day Surgery Center; and full Optometric Service at Lions Optics. The Lions Eye Bank is responsible for collecting, processing and distributing corneal and scleral tissue throughout Western Australia. To date it has provided tissue for over 3,000 corneal transplants.
Research activities
LEI's laboratory-based and clinical research teams investigate all major untreated causes of blindness including cataracts, diabetes related eye disease, glaucoma, retinal degenerations, corneal, and immune-based diseases. More than 70 scientists at LEI use a range of technologies to develop treatments for blinding diseases, including gene therapy and telemedicine. LEI has several major international collaborations and partnerships with a wide range of Australian and international institutions, and collaborates with industry in joint research and development projects. Among the international institutions that the LEI has been actively collaborating with are American Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Shanghai University, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, University of Missouri and the National Eye Institute (USA).
Research done by the Lions Eye Institute's research teams has led to the development of the first retinal vein bypass treatment for retinal vein blockages, and the development of the first transgenic mouse model for Age-Related Macular Degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in those aged over 55. With this model, they expect research to accelerate into the development of ARMD that may lead to an effective treatment of this disease. At LEI, the world’s first artificial cornea was developed and implanted into a human eye. This artificial cornea was named AlphaCor, and the institute currently owns its patent rights.