The Governor of Victoria, Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC learnt about cochlear implants during her first tour of The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
As the hospital’s patron, she visited the Eye and Ear for the first time since her 2023 inauguration. The visit showcased the hospital’s achievements in research, collaboration and patient care.
Board Chair Dr Sherene Devanesen AM and CEO Mr Brendon Gardner accompanied Her Excellency on a tour of the hospital’s recently redeveloped education precinct.
Tour highlights included the new Surgical Skills Lab and Virtual Simulation Centre, state-of-the-art facilities that provide ophthalmologists, otolaryngologists, and anaesthetists with advanced training to refine practical and theoretical skills.
University of Melbourne Professor of Otolaryngology, Professor Stephen O’Leary presented on surgical training models and demonstrated intraoperative testing and monitoring for cochlear implant patients.
Prof O’Leary led the development of a virtual reality simulator to train ear surgeons in collaboration with the CSIRO. He is a senior specialist in the Otology and Cochlear Implant Clinics at the hospital and holds the William Gibson Chair of Otolaryngology at the University of Melbourne.
Dr Rebecca Haward, the Eye and Ear’s new Director of Training, spoke about the hospital’s leading role in training ophthalmological and ENT professionals nationally and globally.
Her Excellency learned about groundbreaking gene therapy work from Dr Tom Edwards, a vitreoretinal surgeon and Principal Investigator and Head of Retinal Gene Therapy Research at the Centre for Eye Research (CERA).
CEO Brendon Gardner said: “The Eye and Ear is proud to be Australia’s only specialist eye, ear, nose and throat hospital.
“Her Excellency’s visit was a valuable opportunity for her to witness and hear from our professionals on how we are a world leader in clinical service delivery, teaching and research in ophthalmology and otolaryngology.”
The Eye and Ear is renowned for being the home of the Bionic Ear, invented by Professor Graeme Clark more than 45 years ago. It is the only provider in Victoria of the gene therapy treatment Luxturna used to treat a specific inherited retinal disease.
The hospital is Victoria’s leading provider of eye and ear health, integrating clinical care, research and education to optimise innovation and provide advanced treatments for vision and hearing loss. The Eye and Ear cares for about 200,000 patients a year.
