New laser instrument donated by Canadian Vision Care will help train optometrists in straightforward laser procedures to help patients with glaucoma and cataracts.
Dr. C. Lisa Prokopich, clinical professor at the School of Optometry & Vision Science, demonstrates laser procedure on a simulated eye
The University of Waterloo School of Optometry School of Optometry and Vision Science has received a new donated laser that will help usher in a future where patients can more easily access procedures to improve their eye health.
Not-for-profit organization Canadian Vision Care (CVC) has donated a Nidek Ophthalmic laser that can be used to perform straightforward procedures that help patients with glaucoma or a common complication following cataract surgery.
Though it will initially be used for training only, having an additional state-of-the-art laser at the School will give students and continuing education participants more hands-on time, increasing their skills faster.
Optometrists in Canada are seeking to have their scope of practice modernized so they can legally perform a set of low-risk, in-office laser and minor surgical procedures. In the 14 U.S. states where optometrists can perform these procedures, recent research has shown benefits to patients, particularly in rural areas.
Optometrists already diagnose, treat and manage patients with glaucoma and provide pre- and post-operative care for people with cataracts. Scope modernization would make straightforward eye care more accessible and seamless, given that there are some 6,400 optometrists across Canada but only about 1,400 ophthalmologists. More complex care, such as cataract surgery, would still be performed by ophthalmologists.
“We’re grateful to CVC for helping support education that will allow optometrists to better care for their patients,” said Dr. Stanley Woo, director of the School. “CVC does wonderful work all around the world to help people see. With this donation, they’re contributing to both their mission and ours.”
Dr. Gerry Leinweber, an Alberta optometrist and one of the co-founders of CVC, spearheaded fundraising efforts for the laser donation. His consulting business, EyeXperts, provides human resources consulting and helps independent ODs from across Canada obtain high-quality lens products at good prices. All EyeXperts profits are donated to CVC.
Leinweber wanted the School to have another laser because he works frequently with ophthalmologists for the charity’s volunteer trips to underserved communities and has learned how busy they have become in recent years as the population has aged. He says well-trained optometrists practising to the fullest extent of their education would free up ophthalmologists to focus on the advanced care only they can perform, reducing waiting times for patients.
“Optometrists are experts in light, so it makes sense for us to perform low-risk laser procedures,” said Leinweber. “With increased access to laser equipment, Waterloo can help move the profession forward so we can do more to help the public.”
The new laser can be used for the following procedures:
- YAG laser capsulotomy, which treats a common complication following cataract surgery in which the implanted lens becomes cloudy. The procedure clears the implanted lens so the patient can see clearly again.
- Selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT), which stimulates drainage at the front of the eye without changing eye structure. Increasingly used as a first-line treatment for primary open angle glaucoma, it slows vision loss more than eye drops do, so it is best done soon after diagnosis. It generally needs to be repeated every five years.
- Laser peripheral iridotomy, which is used to treat people who have a narrow angle at the front of their eye, which predisposes them to a specific type of glaucoma. The procedure opens a small hole in the iris, improving eye drainage and reducing the risk of acute angle-closure glaucoma, which can result in quick-onset, permanent vision loss.
Students at the School have been trained on laser procedures since 2021. Working optometrists have been able to learn them through the Office-Based Laser and Minor Surgical Procedures for Optometrists continuing professional development course since 2022. In addition to recent graduates, the School has certified nearly 180 optometrists in laser procedures.
“These procedures are just a small extension of skills optometrists use every day,” said Dr. Sarah MacIver, associate clinical professor and director of continuing professional development for the School. “They’re already part of the scope of optometrists in over a dozen U.S. states, as well as the UK and New Zealand. In Canada too, we’re ready to provide care and improve patient access to the procedures they need.”
Beyond training, the goal is to use the laser to treat patients at the Waterloo Eye Institute Optometry Clinics.
“If a local ophthalmologist were to partner with us at the clinic, they could work alongside optometrists and utilize the laser to provide patients with seamless care now,” said MacIver. “Ultimately, what we want is for patients to benefit.”