Nenagh Eye Suite improving access to outpatient and day case ophthalmology services

Nenagh Eye Suite improving access to ophthalmology services. Thomas Barton from Castletroy in Limerick celebrating with Nenagh Hospital staff after he was the first patient to have an eye injection at the new Ophthalmology Suite at Nenagh

New outpatient and day case services are now available at Nenagh Hospital with the opening of the Eye Suite

Located in the €1.5 million outpatients extension at Nenagh and building on the designation of Nenagh as a centre for cataract surgery since 2018, this new development expands outpatient ophthalmology services and means patients can for the first time have their eye injections in Nenagh.

Until now, ophthalmology services within UL Hospitals Group had been principally delivered at University Hospital Limerick. The relocation of part of this service is in line with the Group’s objectives to expand activity in model 2 hospitals and also sits well within the framework of Slaintecare and the National Eye Care Plan developed by the Irish College of Ophthalmologists.

The new service in Nenagh is led by consultant ophthalmologist Mr Conall Hurley. New treatments available to adult patients in Nenagh include intra-vitreal injections (i.e. IVTs) for conditions such as diabetic retinopathy, retinal vascular occlusions and wet age-related macular degeneration. The new suite is also equipped with a range of modern ophthalmic lasers for the treatment of post cataract surgery capsular changes, retinal vascular diseases and uncontrolled glaucoma. The existing cataract surgery service will continue in Nenagh.

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“Since 2018, almost 5,000 patients have had their cataract surgery performed in Nenagh,” commented Mr Hurley. “In view of the success of the cataract service here, hospital management concluded that it would be complementary to have an expanded ophthalmology service located on the Nenagh campus. This would allow delivery of both outpatient clinics as well as appropriate treatments on the Nenagh campus as well.”

Mr Hurley added he was pleased to be now be heading a team delivering an expanded range of appropriate services in Nenagh while maintaining the delivery of his ophthalmic emergency services in UHL.

That multidisciplinary team comprises medical and specialist nursing staff, including advanced nurse practitioners (ANPs); an optometrist; allied health; administrative and support staff.

Mr Hurley noted that such integrated eye care teams working closer to the patient’s home is envisioned in the National Eye Care Plan. It is expected that candidate ANPs currently training under his supervision will ultimately be delivering services directly to patients in Nenagh with the expanded scope of practice including eye injections and screening patients for conditions such as cataract, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.

“All the staff look forward to delivering exemplary care to the patients in the catchment population who live closer to Nenagh than they do to Limerick city,” Mr Hurley added.

Cathrina Ryan, Operational Director of Nursing, Nenagh Hospital, said: “We are delighted to introduce these new outpatient clinics and day case services for our patients. The new Ophthalmology Eye Suite shares the same clinical space as the Ambulatory Gynaecology and Fertility Unit which opened in March 2022 . All the staff in Nenagh are proud to be at the forefront of delivering new treatments to ophthalmology patients in Tipperary and across the region.”

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