Waikato practice Eye Surgeons has opened the doors to Whanganui’s first private eye clinic.
March was a busy month for Eye Surgeons’ founder Dr James McKelvie, associate professor with the University of Auckland, who went from opening the Whanganui clinic one day to driving back to the Waikato for the opening of his new Hamilton fitout the next.
“I’m incredibly excited to raise the bar on the services offered to Whanganui district residents,” A/Prof McKelvie said. “After talks with local ophthalmologists, Dr Harris Ansari, originally from Pakistan, and Dr Nikki Brandt, from the US, it all came together when we found this fantastic heritage building in central Whanganui overlooking the river.”
The purpose-built facility will give the pair an opportunity to offer a wide range of eye surgery, including cataract, glaucoma and corneal surgery, cross-linking and more, he said. “My expectation is they will do a fantastic job. They are so motivated and incredibly keen to partner with local optometrists to provide shared care and help improve access to timely care in Whanganui.”
Eye Surgeons business manager Jo Hood said local support for the clinic has been overwhelmingly positive. “Local optometrists and residents are so excited, with locals saying it’s going to be a ‘game changer’ for them to access care closer to home.”
