Lions Eye Institute

{{Short description|Australian medical research institute}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2016}} {{Infobox institute | name = Lions Eye Institute (Australia) | image = Lyons Eye Institute logo.jpg | image_upright = | alt = | caption = | latin_name = | motto = Better vision for all | founder = Professor Ian Constable AO | established = {{start date and age|1983|df=y}} | mission = [[Medical research]] | focus = [[Eye disease]] | president = | ceo = | chairman = Tony Joyner | head_label = Chief Executive Officer | head = Dr Glen Power | faculty = [[University of Western Australia]] | adjunct_faculty = | staff = | key_people = Tony Joyner (Chairman) Glen Power (Chief Executive Officer) Leeanne Thomas (Chief Financial Officer) Wendy Murray (Director, Research Strategy and Innovation) JoAnne Forrest (Director Clinical Research) Angus Turner (McCusker Director Lions Outback Vision) | budget = | endowment = | debt = | num_members = | subsidiaries = | owner = | non-profit_slogan = | former_name = | location = {{WAcity|Nedlands}} | city = {{WAcity|Perth}} | state = [[Western Australia]] | province = | country = [[Australia]] | coor = | address = | website = {{URL|https://www.lei.org.au/}} | dissolved = | footnotes = }}

The '''Lions Eye Institute''' (LEI) is an Australian [[medical research]] [[research institute|institute]] affiliated with the [[University of Western Australia]]. It was established in 1983 with support of the Lions Clubs of Western Australia and headquartered in the {{WAcity|Perth}} suburb of {{WAcity|Nedlands}}, [[Western Australia]]. The LEI is a [[not-for-profit]] centre of excellence that combines an ophthalmic clinic with scientific discovery developing techniques for the prevention of blindness and the reduction of pain from blinding eye conditions.<ref name="smh1">{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/Health/Scientists-restore-sight-ofmiceanddogs/2005/04/20/1113854205820.html |title=Scientists restore sight of mice and dogs |newspaper=[[Sydney Morning Herald]] |date=20 April 2005 }}</ref><ref name="balimadara"/>

==History==

At a 1970 convention in [[Albany, Western Australia]], the Western Australian Lions Clubs created the Lions Save Sight Foundation (WA) Inc. with the aim of leading the development of ophthalmic care.<ref name="lsshisto ">{{cite web|url=http://www.lssf.com.au/history/ |title=History |work=Lions SaveSight Foundation }}</ref> In 1975 the Lions Save-Sight Foundation (LSSF) established the Lions Chair in Ophthalmology at the University of Western Australia. Since its establishment, clinical facilities, new equipment, and research laboratories have been strategically commissioned to support the LEI's core activities. In 1983, under Professor [[Ian Constable]]'s guidance, the LEI, a not-for-profit organisation was established.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lei.org.au/about/history/ |title=Lions Eye Institute – History }}</ref><ref name="Chairman">{{cite web|url=https://www.lei.org.au/author/dmackey/ |title=Professor David A Mackey |work=Our people |publisher=Lions Eye Institute |date=2013 |accessdate=16 September 2016 }}</ref> With Constable, the LEI became an international centre for scientific research into blindness. Following its development, it relocated to the grounds of Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. Its current Managing Director Bill Morgan leads a team of clinicians, medical professionals, researchers and support staff. In 1994, the Institute created in partnership with the [[University of Western Australia]], the Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science (COVS). This centre has an independent University status within the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. In 2003, the LEI revised its basis of incorporation from a public benevolent charitable institution to a not-for profit limited liability company.{{cn|date=December 2025}}

==Overview==

The LEI employs scientists, [[clinic]]ians, and support staff to conduct scientific research into blindness with known ophthalmic practices in Australia. The Institute also includes a Laser Vision Centre, Western Australia's refractive surgery centre; the [[Lions Eye Bank]], Lions Outback Vision, Lions Optics and the LSSF. The LEI actively participates in numerous [[clinical trial]]s for the development of new treatments for eye diseases, in collaboration with scientists, ophthalmologists, and pharmaceutical companies. The Institute receives funds from clinic operations and its [[grant (money)|grant]]s from organisations such as the [[National Health and Medical Research Council]], individual benefactors and the LSSF.<ref name="leireport2016"/>

==Services==

The LEI provides a range of services including standard [[clinic]]al services, [[LASIK]] surgery at the Lions Laser Vision Center, [[cataract]] micro-surgery and lens implantation, [[plastic surgery]] of the eyelids and full [[Optometry|optometric]] service at Lions Optics. The Lions Eye Bank collects and distributes [[Corneal epithelium|corneal]] tissue, scleral tissue and supplies thousands of corneal transplants throughout Western Australia.<ref name="Services">{{cite web |url=http://www.lei.org.au/services/services-1 |title=Services at the LEI |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121127222837/http://www.lei.org.au/services/services-1 |archive-date=27 November 2012 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The Institute initiated the Pilbara Aboriginal Eye Health Program, a strategy targeting indigenous people who suffer from diabetes and associated blinding eye diseases prevalent within the [[Aboriginal Australians|Aboriginal population]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.vision2020australia.org.au/uploads/resource/19/Improving-outcomes-for-ATSIeyehealthand-vision-careproposal-v-9-2-.pdf |title= Improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander eye health and vision care |date= June 2010 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> As part of the Australian Government aid to the Indonesian Government,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indonesia.embassy.gov.au/jakt/MR13_041.html |title=Australia hands over Bali eye facility to Indonesian Government |date=13 October 2015 |accessdate=12 November 2015}}</ref> In July 2007, the LEI was instrumental in setting up the [[Bali Mandara Eye Hospital]] which was handed over to the Indonesian Government on 13 October 2015.<ref name="balimadara">{{cite web |url=http://indonesia.embassy.gov.au/jakt/MR13_041.html |title=Australia hands over Bali eye facility to Indonesian Government |newspaper=Australian Embassy Indonesia |date= 14 December 2013 }}</ref> The LEI provides open consultations and health education seminars in cooperation with several organisations including Glaucoma Australia, [[Retinitis pigmentosa|Retinitis Pigmentosa]] Society of Western Australia, Macular Degeneration Foundation and the Australian Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness. Its ophthalmologists also consult at Perth's main teaching public hospitals including [[Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital]], [[Royal Perth Hospital]] and [[Fremantle Hospital]].{{cn|date=December 2025}}

==Research Activities==

The LEI teams investigate all major causes of blindness including cataracts, [[diabetes]] related eye disease, [[glaucoma]], [[retina]]l degenerations, [[corneal]], and [[immune system|immune]]-based diseases. More than 70 scientists at the LEI use a range of technologies to develop treatments for blinding diseases, including [[gene therapy]] and [[telemedicine]].<ref name="leireport2016">{{cite web|url=https://www.lei.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2016-Annual-Report-1.pdf |title=LEI 2016 Annual Report |work=LEI |date=2016 }}</ref> The LEI has national and international institutional partnerships including American Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, Shanghai University, Swedish University of Agricultural Science, University of Missouri and the National Eye Institute (USA). For example, the LEI participates in joint research and development projects with the American Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, [[Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences]], [[University of Missouri]] and the [[National Eye Institute]] (USA).<ref>{{cite web|title=Safety and Efficacy Study of rAAV.sFlt-1 in Patients With Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)|url=http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01494805|publisher=U. S. National Institutes of Health|accessdate=1 June 2012}}</ref> Research carried out by the Institute teams led to the first retinal vein [[Bypass surgery|bypass]] treatment of blockages,<ref name="sciencedaily">{{cite web |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/05/100504205801.htm |title='Bypass' may lead to vision gains for central retinal vein occlusion patients |work=Science Daily |date= 6 May 2010 }}</ref> and the development of the first transgenic mouse model for [[Macular degeneration|Age-Related Macular Degeneration]], the leading cause of blindness for people over 55. This model is expected to accelerate the development of ARMD leading to an effective treatment. At the LEI, the first [[Keratoprosthesis|artificial cornea]], the AlphaCor was developed and implanted into a human eye.<ref>{{cite journal | url=http://www.nature.com/eye/journal/v17/n3/pdf/6700333a.pdf | title=Corneal replacement using a synthetic hydrogel cornea, AlphaCor™: device, preliminary outcomes and complications |author1=C R Hicks |author2=G J Crawford |author3=X Lou |author4=D T Tan |author5=G R Snibson |author6=G Sutton |author7=N Downie |author8=L Werner |author9=T V Chirila |author10=I J Constable | journal=Eye | volume=17 | issue=3 | pages=385–392 |date=November 2003 | doi=10.1038/sj.eye.6700333| pmid=12724702 |doi-access=free }}</ref> The LEI is acknowledged as a core academic centre involved in clinical trials of new pharmaceutical therapies and surgical procedures before government approval. For example, the [[Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery#XEN Gel Stent .28AqueSys.2C Inc..2C Aliso Viejo.2C CA. Acquired by Allergan on Oct. 19.2C 2015.29|Xen Gel Stent]], an implantable transcleral microsurgical device developed at the LEI, was approved for use in the US by the FDA in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |title= Review of Optometry |url= https://www.reviewofoptometry.com/CMSDocuments/2017/2/ro0217i.pdf |publisher=Springer Verlag }}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Biology|Western Australia}} * [[Health in Australia]] * [[Corneal dystrophies in human]] * [[Eye surgery|List of eye surgeries]] * [[List of systemic diseases with ocular manifestations]] * [[Gene therapy of the human retina]] * [[Lions Club International]]

==References==

{{Eye pathology |state=autocollapse}} {{Congenital malformations and deformations of eye, ear, face and neck |state=autocollapse}} {{Medical research institutes of Australia |state=autocollapse}}

[[Category:Medical research institutes in Western Australia]] [[Category:Ophthalmology organizations]] [[Category:Lions Clubs International]] [[Category:Eye care in Australia]] [[Category:Lists of diseases|Eye diseases]] [[Category:University of Western Australia]] [[Category:1983 establishments in Australia]] [[Category:Research institutes established in 1983]]