sPring - Lions Eye Institute · outcomes from the disease. The SNPs, found in two genes named TMCO1 and CDKN2B-AS1, were linked to cases where the disease was more advanced. Professor

6Lions Eye Bank 25th Anniversary

15Brian King Fellowship

11Cricket Memorabilia Auction

Vision news sPring 2011 lions eye institute

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the best coffee and food on the QEII Campus.

In the clinical/research area Associate Professor Fred Chen, a vitreoretinal specialist who is also working in stem cell research, joined the group of specialists at the Lions Eye Institute at the beginning of the year.

Associate Professor Angus Turner is running LEI’s Indigenous and Remote Eye Health Unit with his team of two orthoptists Aimee Leong and Sandy Oates, Masters student Josh Bowyer and Sue Hogan in admin. Associate Professor Turner is also sitting on a Medicare committee to review Medicare funding for tele-ophthalmology, which will be an important advance in the diagnosis of eye disease.

Nearly half of 2,000 Perth 20-year-olds who are participating in the Raine Eye Health Study have now undergone a complete eye examination at the LEI. Research coordinator / orthoptist Seyhan Yazar and three junior doctors, Hannah Forward, Charlotte McKnight and Alex Tan are working on the study and are often seen around the clinic.

There have been other changes at the LEI.

To the delight of patients and clinic staff, the clinic area on the mezzanine level has been expanded and refurbished.

The old A block (the original floor occupied by the LEI when it moved to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in 1984) is slowly being renovated and the new, bigger Dr Robert Linton Library is now almost complete. We are very grateful to the team of Volunteers who helped catalogue and move the journal and book collections, and arranged for binding of some journals. The new computers for a digital medical library will soon be in place. The Ida Mann collection of historic ophthalmic equipment has also moved to new, well lit display cabinets within the library.

Over the next couple of months the space previously occupied by the Linton Library will be renovated to make way for two clinician rooms so all the LEI clinicians will now be easily accessible down the A Block corridor.

Construction of a major new $100 million medical research facility on the QEII site has officially begun, with a special commencement ceremony held on 18th May. The new facility has been funded primarily by UWA ($25 million), the Western Australian Government ($25 million) and the Federal Government ($50 million). Funding has also come from Lotterywest ($5.4 million) and the McCusker Charitable Foundation ($1.5 million).

Managing Director’s report ................................ 2

2011 Ian Constable Lecture .............................. 4

Lions Eye Bank 25th Anniversary ...................... 6

Official launch of new QEII research building ..... 8

Glaucoma gene advance ................................ 10

Silent Auction – cricket memorabilia ............... 11

Leading the next generation ........................... 12

Quilters show their support ............................. 13

Honda Foundation supports new research ..... 14

2011 Brian King Fellowship ............................ 15

Directors get ready to retire ............................. 16

Glaucoma Week VIP visit ............................... 18

Volunteer Programs 1st Birthday ...................... 19

Shedding light on tests at LEI ......................... 20

Fundraising challenge for LEI staff ................... 22

LSSF appoints new Chairman ....................... 23

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Changing faces and placesA Report from our Managing Director

Over the last two years there have been changes in faces and places at the LEI including the Volunteers in their red jackets helping visitors and patients the moment they walk in the door and Coffee Biz serving


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The Lions Eye Institute provided vital support and is a member of the Project Control Group.

Professor Mariapia Degli-Esposti, Director of Research, was honoured during the year when a paper on which she was senior author Innate immunity defines the capacity of antiviral Tcells to limit persistent infection (J Exp Med. 2010;2007(6):1333-43) was selected for Faculty of 1000 Biology; an award-winning online service that highlights and evaluates the most important papers published in the biological sciences, based on the recommendations of over 2000 of the world’s top researchers.

Ian Constable LecturePrize for Preventative Medicine, the 2009 Honda Prize and was recently elected as a Fellow of the esteemed Royal Society of London.

All are welcome and attendance is free. Tickets are essential to gain entry and are available from the Octagon Theatre Box Office.

Early bookings are advised for this popular event. Since 2000, the University of Western Australia has hosted the annual Ian Constable Lecture, named in acknowledgement of Professor Constable’s outstanding contribution to science over the past 30 years.

The founder and former director of the Lions Eye Institute (LEI), Professor Constable maintains a busy clinical practice at LEI, Sir Charles Gairdner, Princess Margaret and St John of God Hospitals and is extensively involved in laboratory and gene therapy research for retinal diseases.

2011Ian Constable Lecture

Venue: Octagon Theatre

The University of Western Australia

Date: Monday 17th October

Time: 6.00pm

Enquiries: 6488 1340

Box office: 6488 2440

Internationally renowned researcher Professor Ian Frazer will be the presenter at the 2011 lecture.

The topic “Now, free, and perfect? How to live a long and healthy life in the 21st century” will examine options to ensure a long and healthy life, and propose some practical

and some more controversial suggestions about how we might go about looking after our nation’s health.

Professor Frazer has made many significant contributions to health and science during his lengthy career in research, including his role as co-creator of the technology for cervical cancer vaccines. He is currently CEO of the Translational Research Institute in Brisbane.

Professor Frazer was awarded the 2005 CSIRO Eureka Prize for Leadership in Science and was selected as both Queenslander of the Year and Australian of the Year in 2006. He was awarded the 2008 Prime Minister’s Prize for Science, the 2008 Balzan

Professor Ian Frazer

Vision news sPring 2011 lions eye institute7

Lions Eye Bank 25th Anniversary

Lions Eye Bank Director, Assoc. Prof. Steve Wiffen, said there was a consistent requirement for corneas.

“The number of Western Australians awaiting a corneal transplant has been increasing over the last few years,” he said.

As eye tissue does not have a blood supply, there is a very low risk of rejection and any viable cornea can be transplanted into any patient. Transplant recipients have ranged in age from 7 to 90 years old.

Lions Eye Bank Manager Lisa Buckland said discussing your wishes with your loved ones is very important, even if you are already a registered donor.

“We will always ask the family for consent; however,

if their loved one’s final wishes are known, it eases the burden of having to make a difficult decision,” she said.

“Every person who dies is a potential eye donor.”

Of the families that are approached, approximately 85% give their consent for donation and all viable eye tissue is used to improve or restore vision. Tissue not suitable for transplantation may still be suitable for use in ethically approved research projects, with the donor family’s consent.

The donation and transplantation of eye tissue is a national collaboration, with the eye banks in each state working together to reduce the waiting lists across the country.

The Lions Eye Bank of Western Australia is supported by each individual who chooses to register as an eye donor and whose families support this choice by giving their consent.

We are immensely grateful to all these people.

If you are considering registering as an eye, organ and tissue donor, please contact the Australian Organ Donor Register on 1800 777 203 for an information booklet or collect one from any Medicare office.

who originally funded and assisted in the set-up costs of the Eye Bank in Western Australia. This remains one of many major achievements of the LSSF, which continues to support the Eye Bank through the purchase of vital equipment.

25 years ago, transplants involved the entire cornea. Today, the surgery is more complex and only the diseased layers are replaced with donor tissue.

The Eye Bank’s recent change to an improved storage method has allowed tissue to be stored for up to 4 weeks, a significant improvement on the previous storage limit of 7 days.

This has allowed more time for microbiological screening and has widened the pool of donors who qualify for corneal donation by up to 30%.

Most people wait 9 to 12 months for a cornea to become available, but it is anticipated that future developments in processing techniques will significantly reduce this period.

Associate Professor Steven Wiffen

July 1 marked the 25th anniversary of the Lions Eye Bank.

Established in 1986, the Eye Bank is the only facility in Western Australia that coordinates the collection, processing and distribution of eye tissue for transplantation. Since its inception, more than 3500 Western Australians have received corneal transplants.

The creation of the Eye Bank would not have been possible without the support of the Lions Save- Sight Foundation WA (LSSF) and Lions Clubs, 6


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A ceremony was held on 18th May at the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre to officially mark the commencement of construction of the new $112 million medical research facility. With completion expected by 2013, it will be home to 450 staff from UWA and WAIMR, as well as several other research organisations.

Professor David Mackey was a guest speaker at the event, attended by WA Deputy Premier and Health Minister Dr Kim Hames, Opposition Deputy Leader Julie Bishop, senior health administrators, researchers, academics and supporters. LEI has provided vital support to the project and will occupy one floor of the building, providing much-needed space and upgraded facilities for research groups.

This unique medical research facility will include state-of-the-art laboratories, including a demonstration laboratory for public education,

clinical research space, statewide core equipment and facilities, offices, auditorium, seminar rooms, meeting places and a cafe.

There will be capacity to expand to 800 staff, as the world-class facility attracts researchers from overseas and interstate.

Professor Mackey welcomes the new addition and the benefits it will bring to both LEI and the Western Australian community.

“The new building, funded by State and Federal governments joining with the University will bring together all the major research groups on one site. With basic research and clinical research adjacent to major hospital facilities we can translate research into medical care,” he said.

Official start to new research building

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Minister Kim Hames,WAIMR Director Prof. Peter Klinken, The Hon Julie Bishop MP and LEI MD Prof. David Mackey


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Australian researchers have unlocked part of the genetic code for open-angle glaucoma, which could lead to reductions in the rate of glaucoma blindness.

Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of the disease and is the leading cause of blindness worldwide.

Glaucoma is particularly dangerous because it progresses gradually and can go unnoticed for years. Most people have already suffered irreversible vision loss by the time they are diagnosed and begin treatment.

The new Australian study, which has just been published in the prestigious medical journal Nature Genetics, identified specific changes known as Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the DNA of glaucoma patients who suffer severe

outcomes from the disease.

The SNPs, found in two genes named TMCO1 and CDKN2B-AS1, were linked to cases where the disease was more advanced.

Professor David Mackey, Managing Director of the Lions Eye Institute and one of the study’s co-contributors, said people with the SNPs in their DNA were up to 4 ½ times more likely to develop the disease than the general population.

The study, which was partly funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council, the RANZCO Eye Foundation and Glaucoma Australia, examined hundreds of Australians of European descent with advanced open-angle glaucoma.

Professor Mackey said the study’s findings could help doctors prioritise treatment for individuals who were at risk of developing glaucoma.

“They may not yet have the disease, but if they carry these SNPs in their DNA they could be deemed at high-risk and followed more closely and treatment could be initiated at the earliest stage,” he said.

“There is then a chance that we could actually reduce the rates of glaucoma blindness.”

Australian researchers in glaucoma gene advance

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n Former Test cricketer Bruce Yardley has made a generous sacrifice to raise money for LEI.

Bruce has donated his cherished baggy green Test cap and his one-day international commemorative shirt to show his gratitude for the life-saving surgery he received from Professor Ian Constable and his team 14 years ago.

The items will be sold by silent auction from 1 July to 5pm on the 31 August 2011.

Bruce is widely regarded as one of the two best off-spinners Australian cricket has produced. He played 33 tests for Australia between 1978 and 1983, and was named International Cricketer of the Year in 1982.

Bids will only be accepted via email at [email protected] and the highest current bid will be displayed on the LEI website.

We are very grateful to Bruce for his generosity and look forward to some spirited bidding from sports fans. Cricket enthusiasts are encouraged to open their wallets and get ready for some stiff competition.

Cricketer Bruce Yardley donates baggy green to support LEI


The Raine Study is 21 years old this year with over 2,000 participants followed since birth.

Now in its second year, the Raine Eye Health Study (REHS) at the Lion’s Eye Institute (LEI) has given 3 newly-qualified doctors the opportunity to contribute to this unique study and gain valuable research and clinical experience.

The REHS is the 20-year follow-up of Raine Study participants with a predominant focus on eye health.

Dr Charlotte McKnight, Dr Hannah Forward and Dr Alex Tan are completing their Masters’ research projects at the LEI. The LEI’s international reputation and the chance to participate in a well-known and significant project was a major factor in their decision to apply for placement at the Institute.

Dr Forward is co-author of a published review of over 80 large population eye studies which found very

a major area of research by Dr McKnight and just one in the diverse range of ophthalmic conditions identified in the participant group.

Dr Tan is investigating the association between macular thickness, other measurements of ocular biometry and genetic factors.

In addition to their own projects, they supervise and mentor medical students from UWA and Notre Dame, who assist in the study with examinations and data collection.

Professor David Mackey, who leads the REHS, said the study provides a unique opportunity for junior doctors and medical students on their pathway to becoming ophthalmologists.

“We are training the next generation of eye doctors and eye researchers, who will be able to follow the Raine Study participants to see changes in their eye health at age 40 and 60 years,” he said.

More information on the REHS can be found at www.rainestudy.org.au.

few previous studies had seen any young adults to determine the frequency of eye disorders.

A common problem in young adults is sun damage,

Quilters show supportWA quilting group Born to Quilt recently donated a quilt to help raise funds for LEI.

Born to Quilt has been together for over ten years, and currently has 15 members from all over the state. Each year, the quilters create a group quilt,

which is then donated to a chosen charity. This is the second time the group has selected LEI, and over $1100 was raised from the raffle of the quilt, a

traditional Baltimore design.

The quilt took several hundred hours of careful work to complete and this was evident in every stitch. The quilters clearly have excellent near vision.

Such generous support from the community is very much appreciated by the Institute, and helps us to achieve our vision of a better future.

Leading the next generation

Dr Charlotte McKnight, Dr Hannah Forward & Dr Alex Tan

Winner Mrs Maureen Rose (right) with Director of Development Helen Rowe


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Honda Foundation supports new research

Jointly funded by the Lions Eye Institute and the Lions Save-Sight Foundation, the Brian King Post-Doctoral Fellowship is a prestigious grant that attracts both national and international interest.

Dr Wikstrom is the fourth recipient and was awarded the Fellowship for his proposal to investigate immune responses in the eye. One of his major research projects will focus on auto-immune uveitis, a relatively common cause of blindness in adults.

“At present, mystery surrounds how the immune system is activated in this disease,” he said.

“If we can learn more about this process, then we can target the cause of the disease more effectively and aid the development of new therapeutic strategies.”

LEI Director of Research Professor Mariapia Degli-Esposti said Dr Wikstrom was a worthy recipient

amongst a competitive field of high-quality applicants.

“Dr Wikstrom has extensive experience and I am sure his research will provide novel insights into the fundamental processes at work in this debilitating disease.”

“The proposed studies are highly specialised and very few centres are devoted to this kind of research,” she said.

Uveitis is the third leading cause of blindness in developed countries and one of the most important unsolved problems in ocular biology.

2011 Brian King Fellowship awarded to LEI researcher

Burswood Honda Managing Director Bob Peters with LEI staff Prof. Chen, Sam McLenachan and Dana Zhang

LSSF Chairman Ambrose Depiazzi with Dr Matthew Wikstrom

Research into degenerative retinal disease has received a funding boost from Honda.

The Honda Foundation and Burswood Honda have donated over $10,000 to LEI for the purchase of a refrigerated centrifuge to assist in the development of cell transplantation therapy for retinal diseases.

Every year, 2,500 Australians will be registered blind, with two thirds of all cases due to age-related macular degeneration.

The centrifuge is an essential piece of equipment in any tissue culture laboratory and a welcome addition to LEI’s newly-established Ocular Tissue Engineering Laboratory.

Chairman of The Honda Foundation, Mr Lindsay Smalley, praised the Lions Eye Institute for its ongoing

scientific research into the prevention of blindness.

“With so many Australians suffering from macular degeneration, the refrigerated centrifuge will greatly assist the Lions Eye Institute to save the eyesight of thousands of Australians,” he said.

Associate Professor Fred Chen and his team are investigating degenerative retinal diseases. His research is focused on developing techniques to grow healthy retinal cells from patients to facilitate transplantation back into the eye to restore sight.

“The refrigerated centrifuge is indispensible for the development of cell transplantation techniques in treating age-related macular degeneration” he said.

The Honda Foundation aims to provide assistance to local communities and foster goodwill among Honda Australia, Honda Motor Vehicle Dealers and the public. It draws funding from Honda Dealers and Honda Australia who donate $15 ($5 and $10 respectively) for every Honda car sold.

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After 14 years at LEI, Director of Nursing Elizabeth Zambotti is getting ready to hand over the reins. Elizabeth initially became involved with the Institute when consulting on the setup of the day surgery and clinic, and has never looked back. Director for the last 8 years, she has been instrumental in the expansion of the clinical services and clinical trials unit.

Elizabeth says she has been fortunate to have had such a fulfilling role at LEI.

“I have formed a wonderful working relationship with the current Managing Director David Mackey and the support I received from former MD Ian Constable was invaluable. He believed absolutely in my ability to do this job and I will never forget that.“

Elizabeth credits strong support from the clinic staff and clinicians with helping her achieve many goals during her time with LEI. Highlights

include the 1998 opening of the day surgery and clinic and a year later the laser vision centre. Following the 2002 Bali bombing, Elizabeth played a key role in the establishment of the Australian Bali Memorial Eye Centre and has vivid memories of her visits to Denpasar.

“I believe the Institute has a very bright future and it has been a real honour to work with such dedicated and hard-working staff, researchers and clinicians,” she said.

“Although I will miss all the wonderful people at LEI, I am looking forward to travelling with my husband and now I have the time, I may even write a book.”

Directors get ready to retire Director of Development Helen Rowe is retiring after 5 years. Helen joined the Institute after relocating from Melbourne, and was immediately inspired by the staff, particularly former Managing Director Professor Constable.

“I knew very little about the importance of ophthalmology and eye research at the beginning but was inspired by people like Professor Constable to raise not only funds but the public profile of the Institute.”

“His passion for delivering world class eye care to the people of Western Australia, and in particular remote indigenous communities, was contagious” she said.

Highlights of her time at LEI include creating a program of events to celebrate LEI’s 25th Anniversary in 2008, facilitating the annual Ian Constable Lecture and meeting the many generous Western Australians who regularly support LEI, regardless of their financial capacity.

Helen has seen many changes over the last 5 years and will continue to follow the Institute’s activities with interest.

“I have had a long and varied career but the time I’ve spent here has been undoubtedly the highlight.”

“I have very much enjoyed working with Professor David Mackey and his highly regarded international reputation as a renowned research scientist will, I believe, take the Institute to another level,” she said.

“To have worked with so many talented, dedicated colleagues all focused on contributing to the eradication of blindness has been a real privilege.”



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North West Shelf Australia LNG President Phil Byrne visited LEI during World Glaucoma Week to help highlight the risk of glaucoma.

LEI optometrist Anthony King checked Mr Byrne for signs of the disease which can sneak up slowly with virtually no symptoms, and causes loss of peripheral vision.

Up to 50 per cent of the 300,000 Australians

suffering from glaucoma are undiagnosed. Risk increases with age, if there is a family history of the disease, a previous eye injury, other eye disease or high intraocular pressure.

LEI researchers have been investigating glaucoma for many years and continue to conduct trials and audits of difficult surgical glaucoma cases. Glaucoma is a preventable disease but because damage to the optic nerve cannot be reversed, early detection and treatment are crucial.

World Glaucoma Week is an annual event that aims to educate people about how to assess their risk for glaucoma and to promote the importance of regular eye examinations.

*A recent genetic breakthrough has identified a major cause of glaucoma. LEI Managing Director Professor Mackey was a co-contributor on the study which unlocked part of the genetic code for open-angle glaucoma. See full story on page 10.

The 13th May marked the 1 year anniversary of LEI’s volunteer concierge program. Volunteers celebrated with a morning tea and received warm thanks from senior staff who expressed their appreciation for the significant contribution the program has made to the Institute.

In a happy coincidence, the date fell on National Volunteers Week and volunteers were presented with a certificate of thanks and a small gift to mark the occasion.

A wide range of patients and visitors use the Institute’s services and the volunteers are representative of the general community. Concierge volunteers interact with people of all ages from diverse cultural and language backgrounds, and this contributes to a rewarding volunteer experience.

Program Coordinator Lyne Thomas said the feedback from the volunteers is overwhelmingly positive.

“One year on, I am amazed at how everyone has retained their enthusiasm and how willing they are to take on new tasks”, she said.

Volunteer program Celebrates1st Birthday

Glaucoma Week VIP Visit

New faces are always welcome. For information on volunteering at LEI, please visit our website or contact our reception.


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Third in a series explaining some of the more common tests performed at LEI.

Visual Field TestThere are several ways of measuring visual function. The first is visual acuity, tested by determining the smallest size of letters a person can read on a chart. The visual field - how far to the side a person can see - is another measure of vision.

A person with normal vision can see about 160 degrees.

If a person has only one eye, or if you close one eye, this narrows the field to approximately 120 degrees.

To meet the legal requirements to drive a car, a person needs 120 degrees of visual field, and 140 degrees to hold a commercial driver’s licence.

Glaucoma, retinitis pigmentosa, and neurological disorders affecting the optic nerve or the brain are the main diseases that affect the visual fields.

Specific patterns of visual field loss can help doctors understand the diagnosis as well as the progression of a disease. If a person’s visual field shrinks to less than 10 degrees, they will find it extremely difficult to navigate and even read and are classified as legally blind. The visual field also needs to be regularly monitored to ensure that a person is still fit to drive.

Shedding light on

tests at LEI How are Visual Fields tested?To measure visual field, a doctor can hold an object to the side to see if a person sees it but this will only detect major defects. To make the test more specific, the individual looks into a white bowl and lights are flashed to determine their visual field. This test became automated with a computer system about 25 years ago and the Humphrey Visual Field is now the most widely used test in Australia.

These tests usually take 5-10 minutes per eye. They can be compared to earlier tests to detect if there has been any progression of diseases like glaucoma.

Glaucoma affected field Normal field of vision


On May 7th a team from LEI joined the 2011 Gibb River Road Mountain Bike Challenge in a bid to raise funds for LEI’s Indigenous and Remote Eye Health Unit (IREHU).

The Gibb River Road Mountain Bike Challenge is a team relay event to raise community awareness and money for a chosen charity. From Derby, teams rode for 6 days along the Gibb River Road to the El Questro Wilderness Park near Kununurra, clocking up over 700km and raising over $7,000 for LEI.

IREHU research student Josh Bowyer said the staff jumped at the opportunity to take part in the ride and raise some money along the way.

“The ride was a memorable experience and despite a few minor accidents, we all finished in one piece. Flooding on the Gibb River Road caused some last-minute route changes but the weather was great and the scenery spectacular.”

The team completed the ride saddle-sore but happy and hope to participate again in next year’s challenge.

LEI staff sweat it out

in fundraising challenge

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Lions Club Past Council Chairman Ambrose Depiazzi has been appointed the new Chairman of the Lions Save-Sight Foundation (LSSF). Established by the Lions Clubs of Western Australia in 1970, the LSSF has grown to become the leading volunteer eye health organisation in Australia. The LSSF promotes and supports the prevention and treatment of eye disease in conjunction with the Lions Eye Institute.

Mr Depiazzi’s appointment followed the very sad loss of former Chairman, PDG Lorraine Strickland following a brief battle with leukaemia in January 2011.

He brings a wealth of experience to the Board having worked as the Chairman of chartered accountants RSM Bird Cameron in Perth for many years. A member of the Lions Club of Mandurah, he served on the board of the Foundation in its formation years prior to the establishment of the Lions Eye Institute.

Ambrose commented how pleased he was to be back on the Board, the wheel having turned full circle in just over 30 years since his previous term.

“The establishment of the Lions Eye Institute had certainly changed the role of LSSF but in no way had it diminished its importance in sight preservation in the Western Australia community,” he said.

The Lions Save-Sight Foundation appoints new Chairman

LEI staff and teammates

LSSF Chairman Ambrose Depiazzi

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Electronic version of this newsletter is available on our website

Lions Eye Institute 2 Verdun Street, Nedlands Western Australia 6009 General Enquiries (08) 9381 0777

Documents

sPring - Lions Eye Institute · outcomes from the disease. The SNPs, found in two genes named TMCO1 and CDKN2B-AS1, were linked to cases where the disease was more advanced. Professor