One of the most common reasons people need care at Sydney Eye Hospital is an infection of the cornea.
What’s more, one of the most common causes of corneal infection is herpes simplex keratitis. It’s a major cause of blindness, is irreversible and affects all ages.
Yet treatment is varied, and with varied outcomes for patients. In addition, the cornea has several layers, and the right treatment is different for each layer.
Now, thanks to your generous support, Sydney Eye Hospital researchers have developed new guidelines for standardised treatment.
The guidelines are now being used by clinicians across the hospital – and across the country.
One patient to benefit from the new guidelines is Reginald Vollmer.
Reginald says he had been suffering from a corneal infection for quite a while before Sydney Eye Hospital were able to diagnose and treat the problem.
“Everyone needs their eyes, and I’m so grateful that the Sydney Eye Hospital doctors were able to fix mine!” says Reginald.
The researchers based the new guidelines on a thorough review of more than 1700 patients, their treatment and outcomes. They also studied the most successful treatments around the world.
The guidelines are reviewed and updated every six months and have proven to be invaluable to clinicians.
Reginald with his doctor, Professor Stephanie Watson, who also led the research into better treatment guidelines.