It follows on from a successful cataract surgery blitz last October, in which 26 patients were treated.

This year not for profit organisation, CheckUP, funded the North West Hospital and Health Service (NWHHS) to provide an additional round of eye surgery targeted at Indigenous patients from remote communities.

The patients travelled from Doomadgee, Mornington Island, Normanton, Cloncurry and Camooweal and their pre-surgery clinics were conducted by Telehealth, a first for cataract surgery, according to Outreach Coordinator, Amy Davy.

“Providing Telehealth as an option for our patients from outlying communities reduces the number of trips or length of stay during their surgical procedures, so we’re pleased with the success of this, and will be utilising telehealth in similar situations,” Ms Davy said.

The blitz needed a lot of organising and Ms Davy praised the work of Blake Fagan, Gidgee Healing’s practice manager, who provided transport for the patients from the airport, and NWHHS Indigenous Liaison Officer, Melissa Nathan, who assisted the patients through their eye surgery.

Visiting ophthalmologist, Andrew Foster powered through the 19 operations in two days, completing a cataract surgery every half hour.

“This ‘blitz’ is a very good system for getting patients treated. Doing it in a group like this is very effective as they support each other, and know each other. It works very well, with no ‘fail to attends’,” he said.

Dr Foster is based on the Sunshine Coast and flies into Mount Isa every month to do eye surgery.