A local eye clinic is providing free and low-cost services as patients across the region face three-year delays in accessing essential eye care.
For nearly a year, the Springwood Cataract and Eye Clinic has seen public hospital consultation wait times stretch and costs become further out of reach for locals.
Operations manager Dean Powrie said demand has surged so dramatically that the clinic now treats patients from across Logan, Brisbane, and the Gold Coast.
“There is a significant waiting list, on average about three years,” he said of cataract surgeries across the country.
“It can be up to two years before most people get a consultation, and then they have to wait for surgery.”
And cataracts aren’t the only concern. Wait times for routine exams to diagnose sight-threatening conditions like glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinal eye disease are similarly long.
Mr Powrie said the backlog was partly due to the impact of Covid-19, combined with rapid population growth putting strain on the public health system.
“The population growth of Queensland is significant – it has outstripped infrastructure and resources in so many areas,” he said.
“The best example is to just look at how bad the traffic is on the freeway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast.”
Although the clinic is only a year old, Mr Powrie is no stranger to Logan, having moved to Daisy Hill in 1972. Since then, he’s watched the area grow and transform.
“I lived on Chatswood Road when it was a single-lane dirt road… and when the nearest post office to us was Slacks Creek,” he said.
“So I’ve seen a tremendous amount of change over the years.”
To improve access for the local community, the Springwood clinic now offers outpatient services.
“For a very nominal fee – that is probably less than the cost to drive to Princess Alexandra Hospital and pay for parking – patients can have a comprehensive eye exam. And if they need treatment, then we are able to offer no-gap options,” Mr Powrie said.
“We are really going out of our way to make it the most affordable and easy-access service.”
Locals with cataracts can also book a free consultation and assessment at the clinic, where they receive detailed information about the procedure, pricing, and recovery process.
Wait times for this service can be around one month.
“Having a routine eye exam is very, very important,” Mr Powrie said.
“It’s a really good idea to see your optometrist for an annual eye exam, if you’re over 40, at least once a year. And every two years if you are under 40, unless there is an underlying problem.”
He added that vision problems can affect anyone — even those who don’t wear glasses — and often go unnoticed until it’s too late.
Mr Powrie advised locals to ask their optometrist or family doctor for a referral to the Springwood Cataract and Eye Clinic.
