Drive through facility for Irish glaucoma patients

The Ireland East Hospital Group (IEHG) have launched an innovative drive through facility for patients with glaucoma at Citywest Conference Centre to assess and monitor eye pressures. Patients are invited for testing based on clinical need. They remain in their cars and staff, wearing PPE, undertake the eye pressure test using a handheld device. Patient results are then reviewed by Glaucoma specialists in the Mater and Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospitals in Dublin,Ireland. Chief Operations Officer at IEHG, Anne-Marie Keown said, “This initiative is aimed at using the facilities in City West to help create a new way of treating patients as we learn to live with Covid. We, as healthcare providers, are tasked with coming up with creative, imaginative and practical solutions to the challenges caused by Covid-19. This drive through facility is the first of its kind in the Republic.” The drive through clinic at City West will run from August until October. IEHG expect to treat over 2000 patients at the facility during that time. The clinic will directly help: Enable timely monitoring and prevention of glaucoma related vision loss and blindness, therefore, help mitigate risk of blindness and vision loss in patients with glaucoma. It will also assist in addressing the glaucoma reviews backlog, new patient waiting lists and improved flow through out-patient departments.