The Centre of Excellence for Eyes (CEE) recently hosted a visit from Dr Alistair Papali’i-Curtin, Co-Director of ONZ (Ophthalmology New Zealand), who wanted to visit innovative cataract units in the UK.

Dr Papali’i-Curtin contacted the Royal College of Ophthalmologists to ask for some recommendations, and it was suggested that one of his visits should be to the CEE, which is based at the NHS Nightingale Hospital Exeter, to find out about the centre’s ground-breaking work on transforming patient pathways.

The visit included a tour of the diagnostic and day-case cataract unit, which offers low-complexity, high-quality cataract surgery to people across Devon, usually within a single short visit, and has completed more than 2,000 of these operations.

After seeing the unit in action, Dr Papali’i-Curtin said: “I can’t believe it. I’ve just watched a patient all the way through. They’ve come in, had their surgery and gone home. And it’s taken an hour and a half.”

The CEE also provides diagnostic imaging for monitoring and diagnosing glaucoma and medical retina problems, and the team explained how new ways of working are helping to shorten appointment times and reduce local waiting lists for these procedures.

Dr Elizabeth Wilkinson, Clinical Director for the CEE, said: “The Centre of Excellence for Eyes is a brilliant example of what can be achieved by embracing innovative care and new ways of working. It’s fantastic to see that the centre’s ground-breaking work is being recognised both here in the UK and now internationally as well.”