I read with interest the article by Wadhwa et al regarding the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the eyecare system in Aotearoa-New Zealand. Covid-19 has placed an overwhelming burden on our healthcare system with a major impact on how ophthalmic services operate in New Zealand. Notably, ophthalmol
Non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) are the commonest cancers in Australia and New Zealand. In 2006, the age-standardised incidence of NMSCs was 406 per 100,000 population in New Zealand1. Treatment of NMSCs represents a significant cost to Australasian healthcare systems1,2 and their incidence is ris
The case study on Parkinson’s disease by Layal Naji (NZ Optics, March 2022*) was a timely reminder of this very common disease that affects an increasing number of our clients, sometimes at a surprisingly young age. I would like to add to its clinical pearls by pointing out that as a neurological di
Pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PXF) is important to identify as it carries a significant risk of glaucoma. Once pseudoexfoliative glaucoma develops, it may run an aggressive course requiring close monitoring and intensive treatment to prevent significant visual loss.
A 52-year-old South-East Asian female presented to clinic for a routine eye exam. She had been experiencing some near blur and a constant gritty sensation in both eyes; otherwise, she had no notable symptoms. Her last medical exam was six months prior and she had hypercholesterolaemia that was under
A 16-year-old Filipino male was referred to an ophthalmologist in British Columbia, Canada, with a gradual decline in vision in both eyes (right eye 6/48; left eye 6/21) with floaters. He was diagnosed with bilateral cataracts and listed for surgery to the right eye. His undilated retinal exam was r
Being geographically isolated, New Zealand’s Covid-19 elimination strategy was extremely effective during 2020 and most of 2021. In early December 2021, although there had been a total of 12,000 cases of Covid-19 in Aotearoa, the mortality rate was just 0.36% (44 deaths). In stark contrast, the UK,
The healthy human iris consists of five layers: the anterior-border layer, stroma, iris sphincter muscle, iris dilator muscle and the iris pigment epithelium (IPE)1. The anterior border layer is made up of fibroblasts and contains melanocytes1. Underneath that is the iris stroma, a layer that contai
With a large (and growing) number of New Zealanders undergoing cancer therapy, eyecare professionals should be cognisant of the ocular complications that can result from many of these treatments to ensure their timely and appropriate diagnosis and management. Although chemotherapy remains a mainstay
Acanthamoeba is a free-living protozoan mainly found in water and soil. Like other protozoa, it exists as a motile, feeding trophozoite which when in danger turns into a cyst (Fig 1). The cystic form
The mainstay therapy for dry eye disease (DED) is the use of artificial tear solutions to supplement the natural tear film1. The therapeutic landscape has recently seen a considerable evolution of
A 34-year-old male was referred to the outpatient clinic with decreased vision in both eyes, which had remained stable over the preceding six months. He was in good general health with no medical or ocular history. He wasn’t taking any medication and he denied any history of recreational drug use or
