The Department of Health has received a wonderful donation from the Noble's Hospital League of Friends for a new, state-of-the-art Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) machine for use in the Ophthalmology Department, costing £75,000.
OCT is a non-invasive and non-contact imaging system, which provides high-resolution cross-sectional images of the retina, vitreous and optic nerve head.
Member for Health, Dudley Butt MLC said: “This is another very generous donation from the League of Friends, for which the Department is extremely grateful. There are continuous advancements in diagnostic tools and having the latest technology can cost considerable sums of money. The purchase and donation of the OCT machine to Noble's Hospital makes it possible to offer complex Ophthalmology investigations on-Island, without the patient having to travel to a Tertiary Centre in the UK. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Noble's Hospital League of Friends and those who contribute to the fund.”
OCT is similar to ultrasonography but instead of sound waves, it uses near-infrared light interferometry.
Interferometry combines two or more light waves in an optical instrument in such a manner that interference occurs between them. These light reflections are then translated into a high resolution imaged object.
Mr Mushtaq Khan, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon said: “We are very grateful to the League of Friends for their generous donation, which has enabled us to purchase this equipment. OCT is an important diagnostic and monitoring tool in a wide range of ophthalmic conditions such as Age Related Macular Degeneration, Diabetic Macular Oedema and Glaucoma.”
“The OCT machine is invaluable in the delivery of the current and future Ophthalmic service on the Island providing local patients with continuity of care and convenience. With this machine, we have been able to manage complex eye conditions at Noble’s Hospital, with over 200 patients receiving investigation over the past year on-Island. We hope to be able to provide patients previously cared for at a UK NHS Trust, with routine follow-up appointments at Noble's Hospital in the near future. The care is overseen by the Specialist Doctors working in the Eye Department alongside the dedicated nursing staff who have been trained in the use of this equipment.”
