Coastal Eye Centre

23/02/2026

23rd February - 1st March is Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) week.

Retinopathy of Prematurity is a condition affecting some babies born prematurely caused by abnormal development of retinal blood vessels.

Risk factors for ROP include babies who:
- Are born prematurely (earlier than 30 weeks of pregnancy)
- Have low birth weight (less than 1250g, the smaller the baby the greater the risk)
- Have complications after they are born and receive extra oxygen for more than a few days.

ROP affects the retina, at the back of the eye, and occurs when the retinal blood vessels, which are not fully developed at birth, begin to grow abnormally. It may lead to partial or complete vision loss if the condition is severe, and the retina detaches.

09/02/2026

February is Low Vision Awareness Month. The month highlights support services for those with blindness or low vision, encourages regular eye exams, and promotes inclusivity.

Low vision refers to a permanent reduction in vision that cannot be corrected by glasses, contact lenses, or medical treatment. Common causes include age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetes and eye trauma.

Symptoms include difficulty with daily tasks like reading, driving, and recognizing faces, often involving blurred vision, blind spots, or loss of peripheral vision. Low vision doesn't mean total blindness, many people with low vision still have some degree of useful sight. However, it becomes necessary to adopt new strategies, tools, and technologies to maintain independence and continue doing the things you love.

03/02/2026

February is Retinitis Pigmentosa Awareness Month 💕

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) refers to a group of inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) that affect the photoreceptor (light sensing) cells in the retina. People with RP experience a gradual decline in their vision as the two types of photoreceptor cells in their eyes – rod and cone cells – die over time.

The first symptom patients usually notice is difficulty seeing in dim light, including transitioning from light to dark and vice versa. Some people are diagnosed in childhood, while others are not affected until they are adults.

The rate of progression and degree of visual loss can vary from person to person, and even among affected members of the same family. It is therefore very difficult to predict what an individual’s vision will be like at a specific time in the future. Both eyes are usually affected in a similar way.

As RP progresses, the peripheral vision loss moves slowly inwards, giving people the experience of “tunnel vision”. In some people, the vision loss can eventually cause loss of the central vision too.

In Australia, it is estimated that one in 3,000 people has RP, which equates to approximately 8,900 individuals.

There is no cure for RP. There is currently only one treatment available for a subtype of RP called RPE65-associated retinal degeneration. Luxturna® (voretigene neparvovec-rzyl) is a gene therapy that replaces the RPE65 gene in the eye, thus slowing or halting the progression of the retinal damage.

Other emerging treatments for RP are currently under development.

29/01/2026

A little Q & A with one of our Ophthalmologists, Dr Thomas Campbell...🤩

> What inspired you to be an ophthalmologist? Was it a personal connection, a defining moment or a cause that sparked your interest?

'I was inspired to become an ophthalmologist by spending time with Dr Mark Loane. He was an inspiration to me and showed me how miraculous eye surgery can be - a person can walk in blind and can see again almost immediately after cataract surgery. There is very little else in medicine that is joyous in the same way. Additionally as an ophthalmologist you get to work in a team of the most dedicated, passionate, caring humans. People who have chosen to spend their lives trying to make the lives of others better - from the reception staff, technicians, nurses, optometrists, and other ophthalmologists. I find that very inspiring and its why I am so enthusiastic about my work.'

> What is one thing you still find fascinating about eyes?

'I find EVERYTHING about eyes fascinating, and not just human eyes but all types of eyes. I STRONGLY recommend "Animal Eyes" by Mike Land to anyone interested in learning more about eyes. This book goes over all the different types of eyes that have evolved and the incredible anatomy and physiology of each. One fact that I like to tell people: a good human eye (eg a young person with no refractive error) is limited not by biology but by physics. The interphotoreceptor spacing is right at the margin where quantum leak becomes a problem. Thus the human eye cannot simply be improved by packing in more photoreceptors as quantum physics effects start to cause problems at a tighter photoreceptor mosaic. The only way to make the eye better is to make it bigger. The wedgetail eagle can see better than a human but thats only because the focal length of a wedgetail eagle's eye is about half as long again as a humans!'

26/01/2026

22/01/2026

Coastal Eye Centre will be closed on Monday 26th January for the Australia Day Public Holiday. We will re-open on Tuesday 27th January.

04/01/2026

Today is World Braille Day!
This is a special day to honor the contributions of Louis Braille, the inventor of Braille. Braille is a fundamental tactile reading and writing system for individuals who are blind or visually impaired. Today is also a chance to emphasize the right of individuals with visual impairments to access information, education, and culture on an equal basis with others.

31/12/2025

Happy New Year! 🥳
We wish you all the best for 2026.
From the team at Coastal Eye Centre

24/12/2025

Merry Christmas!!!
We hope you have a fabulous Christmas season and enjoy some treats and a well deserved break.

19/12/2025

Coastal Eye Centre will be closed from 12pm on Monday 22nd December for the Christmas holidays. We will re-open on Monday 5th January.

10/12/2025

Always at the forefront of research, Dr Campbell is currently seeing approved patients as part of a University of the Sunshine Coast clinical trial. The trial is testing a new non-invasive tablet that directly targets the neurovascular inflammation caused by diabetic eye disease. The effect of the medication aims to prevent/delay the progression of retinal damage. This could potentially provide a much less invasive option than the current treatment of laser and injections. Read more about the trial here...

The University of the Sunshine Coast has begun a new clinical trial set to delay the progression of eye damage caused by diabetes.

25/11/2025

On the weekend we had our Coastal Eye Centre Christmas Party at Spirit House in Yandina. We did a cooking class and learnt some new chef skills….so we now dont only specialise in eyes, but in food too! Watch out Gordon Ramsay! 👀😬

We had a fantastic time learning new cooking skills and enjoying delicious food!