Seeing the Light with Insight Eyecare
The surgery most performed in Australia is for cataracts and as Helen Flanagan discovered, the transformative power of modern eye surgery was life changing.
In the heart of Noosaville, where the natural beauty of the Noosa River and numerous other natural assets meets cutting-edge medical care, is Dr Madeleine Adams, a highly respected ophthalmologist specialising in refractive cataract surgery.
With a passion for restoring sight and improving quality of life, Dr Adams leads a practice combining advanced technology, personalised care, and a deep commitment to community.
As a recent patient, I am eternally grateful to the Insight team for the treatment I received for cataracts.
From the first consultation after a recommendation from optometrist Sheldon Shultz, I was taken on an amazing fulfilling journey. Madeleine and the Insight team ensured the process was smooth and, well, as close to enjoyable as a medical process can be!
Modern cataract surgery is truly transformative.
It is by far the most commonly performed procedure at Insight whose surgery is at Noosa Hospital.
“We perform laser treatments, eye injections and minor eyelid surgeries at the practice,” explains Dr Adams. “But for cataract surgery we have special equipment and a surgical team at the hospital.
“Surgery has evolved tremendously over the years. Originally, it was a very basic procedure, and the cataract was not replaced by a new lens, so people had to wear thick bottle top glasses.
“The cataract is just the natural lens of the eye which has become cloudy. The early generations of lens implants were pretty rudimentary, and the visual outcomes were pretty average, by today’s standards.
This meant in decades past people would wait until they were severely sight impaired before having surgery.
“Nowadays, not only do we remove the cataract, but we also have the opportunity to reduce a patient’s reliance on glasses, by implanting a personalised choice of new artificial lens, or IOL (intraocular lens).
“With improved accuracy in selecting the right artificial lens, we can tailor vision correction to focus light at different distances. The average age of cataract surgery is therefore much lower, and people can enjoy good vision for longer.”
Lens selection is not the same for everyone as every eye is different with variations in length, shape, and other medical conditions all playing a role.
“It’s definitely not a one-size-fits-all approach, that’s why we take the time to do a deep dive into each patient’s needs before choosing the right intraocular lens,” says Dr Adams, who agreed it is absolutely life changing.
“It’s one of the most immediately transformative surgeries. I never get tired of seeing people following surgery; it’s just joyous.”
Many people are frightened or anxious about their eyes, which sadly means they put off intervention until severely affected.
“The number of times a week we hear ‘I just wish I had done this earlier!’,” Dr Adams says. “Intraocular lenses are designed to last a lifetime. It’s rare that we need to replace or remove them.
“However, in some cases, especially with older lens types, we can add a piggyback lens to improve vision and reduce dependence on glasses. So, people who have had surgery many years ago can often improve their vision without glasses.”
For younger patients vision correction is offered.
“Intraocular collamer lens (ICL) surgery is for patients aged 21 to around 40 who are short-sighted.
These lenses are sometimes called intraocular contact lenses, but they’re actually collamer lenses, reversible and removed later in life if cataract surgery is needed.
“For longsighted people in their 50s, refractive lens exchange is a great option. It is essentially the same surgery as cataract surgery, but for people who don’t yet have cataracts.”
The hazards of sun exposure have been well documented but how does it affect eye health?
“Sun damage is a big issue,” Dr Adams says. “Many people develop pterygia aka growths on the eye caused by UV exposure. Skin cancers around the eyes, on the lids, are very common even in younger people. Thankfully, modern surgical techniques are much more effective, and recurrence is less likely with the methods used today.
“Treatments for glaucoma and macular degeneration have also advanced significantly with minimally invasive surgical options and laser treatments for glaucoma in addition to traditional eye drops. These help prevent vision loss and improve quality of life.
“Treatments for age-related macular degeneration, especially the wet type, have come a long way.
Injections can now preserve or even improve vision, allowing people to maintain independence including driving. We are lucky to live in these times.”
Indeed! There have been many changes in primary eye care as acknowledged by optometrist Sheldon Shultz who has played a pivotal role at Options Eyecare, looking after vision and eyes in the local community for over 25-years.
He concurs a co-management relationship exists between the optometrist and the ophthalmologist.
“From personal experience these relationships are very beneficial, not just peace of mind but knowing my own visual health is being well managed,” he says.
With Dr Adams’ mighty impressive research background as well as a PhD does this make her a double doctor?
“Ha ha yes, I am a doctor squared,” she laughs. “I was fortunate to spend time at the University of Melbourne, working with the Centre for Eye Research Australia and the School for Population Health.
My PhD research focused on age-related macular degeneration and its genetic and environmental risk factors.”
After training, Dr Adams did outreach work with the Fred Hollows Foundation in Central Australia and Nepal, a deeply fulfilling experience on many levels. Joined by her family they made lifelong friends during her two-way learning experience, gaining insights from other ophthalmologists and sharing knowledge from Australia.
The commitment to giving back continues today. Beyond providing excellent care, Insight is privileged to support local initiatives such as the Noosa Alive festival and raising funds for medical research charities and schools. Research also remains an integral part of practice, involving medical students who focus on cataract and refractive lens surgery outcomes.
“We’re also exploring new lens technologies and advanced equipment to study how light interacts with the eye and lenses,” she shares. “I love asking questions and finding things out, and how wonderful to share it with our future doctors. They will be looking after me one day!”
How positively Insight-ful!
