MEDIA RELEASE Hotel Dieu Hospital opens first-of-its

MEDIA RELEASE
Hotel Dieu Hospital opens first-of-its-kind eye treatment centre
(Kingston, ON, March 31, 2014) On April 1, 2014, Hotel Dieu Hospital will officially open a new cutting-edge
eye treatment centre, a facility geared to ensuring patients with macular disease can access the latest sightsaving treatments.
The first of its kind in Canada, the Macular Treatment Centre features the most current diagnostic testing and
a large procedure theatre where patients with macular disease can have therapeutic treatments such as
precise intraocular eye injections for age-related macular degeneration done in a safe and efficient manner.
“The opening of the Macular Treatment Centre demonstrates the commitment of Hotel Dieu Hospital and
Queen’s University to provide our macular patients with world-class care,” says Dr. Sanjay Sharma, a retinal
specialist at Hotel Dieu, a professor of ophthalmology and epidemiology at Queen’s University and an
internationally-recognized expert in macular degeneration.
“The Centre not only means that patients get access to the best treatments in the country, but also that we
can continue to be at the forefront of research in macular diseases and to train doctors from around the world
who come to learn from us.”
The tiny central piece of the retina, the macula is responsible for our ability to see and perform important
tasks such as reading, driving and recognizing faces. Problems of the retina—caused by aging and diabetes—
are now the most common cause of vision loss and blindness.
“However, the combination of early diagnosis and timely treatment has changed these diseases from ones in
which blindness was inevitable to ones in which visual improvement is highly probable,” says Sharma.
The Macular Treatment Centre will play a key role in achieving such outcomes, he says.
“To obtain optimal outcomes, macular diseases have to be recognized early and treatment with eye injections
and lasers has to be offered quickly,” says Sharma. “With the latest treatments, 95 per cent of patients can be
spared from going blind and 40 per cent can enjoy significant improvement in vision.”
With its state-of-the-art treatments, six surgery stations and shorter wait times, the Macular Treatment Centre
is excellent news for patients and families, says Dr. Martin ten Hove, head of the department of ophthalmology
at Hotel Dieu and Queen’s University.
“Our eye centre has long been recognized as a leader in research in macular degeneration,” he notes, “but
now we’re also taking the clinical program to the next level to improve the patient experience. The new Centre
is unique and it promises our retinal patients immediate access to the care they need.”
INTERVIEW/PHOTO OP: Media are invited to interview Dr. Martin ten Hove and view the
Macular Treatment Centre from 12-1 pm, Monday, March 31. Please contact Anne Rutherford,
Public Relations, 613-544-3400, ext. 3380.
Hotel Dieu Hospital is the ambulatory care teaching and research hospital for Kingston and Southeastern
Ontario, affiliated with Queen’s University. We provide expert care to more than 500,000 people in the region
through specialized programs including pediatrics, medicine, ophthalmology, cardiology, urology, surgery,
mental health, oncology and urgent care. We deliver quality, safe health care, while advancing innovative
research and educating the health care professionals of the future.
Leading the transformation of ambulatory care
L'Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu est l'établissement de soins ambulatoires universitaire pour Kingston et le Sud-Est de
l'Ontario affilié à l’Université Queen's. Il fournit des soins spécialisés à plus de 500 000 personnes de la région.
Parmi ses services spécialisés, mentionnons les services de pédiatrie, de médecine, d’ophtalmologie, de
cardiologie, d’urologie, de chirurgies, de santé mentale, d’oncologie et de soins d'urgence. L'hôpital fournit des
services de soins de santé sûrs et de qualité tout en menant des recherches novatrices et en formant les
professionnels de la santé de demain.
Chef de file pour la transformation des soins ambulatoires
-30Media contact:
Anne Rutherford, Public Relations, 613-544-3400, ext. 3380, [email protected]