Dr James Leong to open new eye clinic in Wellington

Dr James Leong is setting up The Eye Clinic in the Cuba Precinct, offering a new destination to Wellingtonians seeking personalised eyecare.

The idea for the clinic was born during a ‘sliding doors’ moment when the lease renewal was due on Dr Leong’s current clinical home, The Terrace Eye Centre, and the former Fix & Fogg Peanut Butter Factory site became available. “I knew the old Eva Street factory could be transformed into a welcoming, purpose-built clinic. While I’m deeply grateful for the friendships and mentorship of my colleagues in group practice, I saw the opportunity to pursue a more personal vision for patient care.”

Currently under construction, the new clinic will offer a full range of medical and surgical eyecare with a strong focus on retinal disease and refractive cataract surgery. Dr Leong said he is keen to use innovative technologies to address gaps in eyecare and this will be the first practice in New Zealand to offer photobiomodulation (PBM) for dry AMD.

“While early adoption can invite scrutiny, I have taken a careful, evidence-led approach and we will now offer PBM to patients with intermediate-stage drusen with or without geographic atrophy. It’s not a cure – and managing expectations is key – but early data suggest potential to improve visual acuity and slow progression with an excellent safety profile. My main concern is that at current pricing for the device and consumables, it may unfortunately prove to be unaffordable for many. For us, it’s about threading the needle to balance innovation and care.”

Also part of the clinic’s tech portfolio is Eyerising International’s red-light therapy device for myopia control in children and young people and the Navilas retinal laser, which allows for a more precise, less invasive treatment and reduction in the treatment burden of intravitreal injections, said Dr Leong. “Ultimately, each investment in advanced technology has been made with the goal of improving outcomes while making the patient journey smoother and more personalised.”

Dr Leong said he is on the lookout for ophthalmologists to join him in this new venture. “The Eye Clinic will be offering a genuine partnership approach and I’m looking for likeminded colleagues who share a passion for advanced specialist treatments and genuinely personalised care. I’ll be offering other young ophthalmologists an affordable, realistic entry point to equity partnership, so we can shape the practice and continue to invest in patient-centred innovations together.”

The goal is to have patients through the door by early 2026, he said. Until then the team of optometrist Hannah Kang, ophthalmic nurse and imaging technician Michael Pantangco and ophthalmic nurse and practice manager Sylvia Hewison, continues to operate out of The Terrace Eye Centre.