The iconic Johnston building on Taupō Quay is home to Eye Surgeons' new Whanganui practice. Credit Heritage New Zealand

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.”

The clinic offers a state-of-the-art fitout, with one surgical theatre, four consultation/procedure rooms, pre- and post-operation spaces and a brand-new lift taking patients to the second floor of the iconic Johnston & Co. building on Taupō Quay.

Across its three facilities, considerable effort has gone into creating a sustainable practice, A/Prof McKelvie said, including implementing systems allowing them to go paperless, install solar panels, put waste reduction schemes in place, offer bilateral cataract surgery, when possible, plus treatment close to home to cut patients’ travel time.

Eye Surgeons has also recently completed renovations to its Cambridge clinic. A/Prof McKelvie and Drs Ammar Bin Sadiq and Chris Pruet currently consult across the two Waikato sites but are not yet at full capacity; Eye Surgeons is in talks with other surgeons who may join the team, Hood said.