A new retinal imaging camera system at Mount Isa Hospital unveiled on Tuesday will provide a local service for premature newborns and help keep families together.
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Called a Retcam, it will facilitate eye screening imagery for newborn babies and patients of all ages who require ophthalmologic eye examinations for the retina.
Before now, Retcam screening was only available in Townsville and Brisbane making frequent examinations a "long and sometimes difficult commute," according to Mount Isa Clinical Director of Paediatrics Roelof Lourens.
"(Premature) babies are at significant more risk of developing retinitis, where if we have not enough oxygen or too much oxygen, the little blood vessels in the retina will proliferate and cause progressive blindness," Mr Lourens said.
"The recommendation in Australia is that any baby born under 1250gms or under 31 weeks gestation should have recurrent retinal screening, so we can pick the babies that go onto develop this disease and manage it."
Mr Lourens said babies born before 31 weeks would require fortnightly screenings until the retinal vessels had matured, usually at full term (40 weeks).
"Up until now we had to put mum and baby in an aeroplane and send them to Townsville or Brisbane to the closest ophthalmology clinic for these fortnightly checks," he said.
"With this camera we can now bring ophthalmology to the baby and do this screening in Mount Isa without travelling great distances and separating families.
"Now we do the screening here and send the captured images to the ophthalmologists for a faster, more effective result."
The Retcam has been in the works for the last three years and was greatly supported by Glencore donating $90,000.
Glencore General Manager Marianne Wipaki said the company felt it was important to get on board due to the contribution it provided to the community.
"I think for anyone that lives in rural and remote areas of Queensland it was a really important to have those vital services provided on your doorstep," Ms Wipaki said.
"We certainly know the impact of having to pack up the family and send them to the coast of medical treatment, so we are delighted to be involved."
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