Category Archives: Uncategorised

Dr Rick Wolfe was recently invited to compare and lead discussion at the Australian Dry Eye Summit held in Sydney.

Attended by over 100 ophthalmologists and optometrists, the educational event explored the topic of Dry Eye Disease (DED), the importance of treating the root cause of DED and included a live demonstration of OptiLight technology for the treatment of DED.

The event included presentations from three dry eye experts —including the expert on Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) technology, Dr Rolando Toyos from the USA.  A pioneer in the use of IPL technology to treat DED, Dr Toyos spoke about his extensive experience in the field and shared his latest research findings.

Melissa Doyle, the awarded Australian journalist, TV presenter and radio host, and official ambassador for OptiLight in Australia and New Zealand also spoke of her journey with DED.

At Peninsula Eye Centre, we treat patients with DED using the most suitable treatments, including IPL treatment.

Melissa Doyle speaking about her journey with Dry Eye Disease (DED)

Dr Rick Wolfe and Dr Rolando Toyos

We are pleased to announce that Dr William Tao has joined our team at Peninsula Eye Centre.  Dr Tao is a general ophthalmologist, with subspecialty interest in glaucoma.

Dr Tao graduated from medicine at The University of Melbourne in 2012.  He completed his internship and residency at Alfred Hospital, while concurrently completing his Masters of Medicine (Ophthalmic Science) at The University of Sydney.  Dr Tao undertook his ophthalmology training at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and was awarded Fellowship at The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (FRANZCO) in 2021.

Dr Tao has additional subspecialty training in adult and paediatric glaucoma as well as general paediatric ophthalmology, completing his fellowships at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear hospital and The Royal Children’s Hospital.

Dr Tao holds public consultant appointments at The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, The Royal Children’s Hospital and Eastern Health.  His surgical expertise covers cataract, glaucoma and general ophthalmology procedures, including pterygium.  He is dedicated to delivering comprehensive management to his patients and feels privileged to do so.

Dr Tao is available for appointments at Peninsula Eye Centre on alternate Fridays.

Please see Dr Tao’s full professional profile here.

We are delighted to welcome Dr Tao to our practice and to continue to provide our patients with the highest quality of care.

Peninsula Eye Centre is proud to be a major sponsor of this year’s Mornington Art Show, presented by the Mornington Rotary Club.  The Mornington Art Show, now in its 50th year, recently exhibited over 700 artworks by artists from the local community and around Australia.

At Peninsula Eye Centre, we feature several paintings purchased at the Mornington Art Show over the years.  We are pleased to continue to support the Mornington Rotary Club, which provides valuable services to our local and broader community.

For more information about The Mornington Art Show, please go to:  www.morningtonartshow.com.au

At this year’s annual AUSCRS conference, which was held virtually on 23th October and attended by over 180 eye surgeons and support staff, the theme was “AUSCRS Code to Success – What’s new in the virtual world?”.

Dr Wolfe chaired one of the sessions titled “What’s New – Perfect Predictions – Devices and Planning” and presented on the topic of “Measuring in Microns – OCT in cataract surgery”.  Dr Wolfe discussed new technology called Ray Tracing, that, in a new way, calculates the best intraocular lens for cataract and lens surgery.

Founded by Prof Graham Barrett and Dr Rick Wolfe, The Australasian Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (AUSCRS) was formed in 1995. It is a society dedicated to the specific interests of cataract and refractive surgery and offers a unique forum for discussion and learning for both surgeons and their support staff.  AUSCRS is affiliated with the International Society of Refractive Surgery (ISRS) and the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS), the Asian Pacific Association of Cataract & Refractive Surgeons (APACRS)  as well as other peer societies around the world.   In Australia, RANZCO is also affiliated with AUSCRS.

AUSCRS continues to grow as a society with its core aim of being a committed, special-interest group of ophthalmologists interested in education and dissemination of knowledge, new techniques and exploring the boundaries of the specialty.

At Peninsula Eye Centre, we are proud to be at the forefront of new technology and advances in eye surgery, both internationally and in Australia, to provide our patients with the highest standards available.

Eye drops to lower eye pressure are an important tool to help preserve and protect vision in patients with glaucoma and elevated eye pressure.

For your eye drops to be effective, it’s vital that they be administered as prescribed. In most instances this is once or twice per day.  Insufficient dosing may result in worsening glaucoma. On the other hand, excessive dosing may cause additional or unexpected side-effects.  If you are on multiple drops, it is important to ensure at least 5 minutes between each different drop.

Unfortunately, all eye drops to lower eye pressure have side-effects, but most of the time these are manageable. If the side-effects are interfering with your ability to regularly take eye drops, please discuss this with your specialist. There are some ways to minimise side-effects, including regular use of lubricating eye drops, using drops without preservatives (if possible), and closing your eyes for one minute after the drops are instilled.

A large proportion of patients who have been prescribed eye drops for glaucoma stop taking them over time. There are multiple reasons for this including  side-effects, poor understanding of treatment, cost and/or difficulties with installation.  However, it’s important to remember that taking the drops every day is vital, as problems with adherence to eye drops can adversely affect your visual outcomes from glaucoma.

For further information about ensuring optimal treatment adherence for glaucoma see here: https://glaucoma.org.au/i-have-glaucoma/glaucoma-management/treatment-adherence.

Your prescribed eye drops should ideally be used at the same time each day. Setting reminders in your diary or phone can help.

Remember, glaucoma is a lifelong condition that has no cure.  However, ensuring you are monitored regularly and taking your treatment as prescribed are the two most important ways to protect your vision.  

Some useful resources can be found here:  https://glaucoma.org.au/i-have-glaucoma/glaucoma-management

As always, our team at Peninsula Eye Centre is here to support you.  Please discuss any concerns with your specialist at your appointment.