What the Eye Pavilion Does
All staff at the Eye Pavilion, patients and their relatives have always had a good relationship. We work together to make the environment for both staff and patients as pleasant and acceptable as it can be.
The Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion provides specialist care for the treatment and management of diseases and conditions affecting the eye and eyesight. Its high quality services include an Acute Referral Clinic, three theatres and two day care wards.
Ophthalmology services based at the Eye Pavilion have always been at the forefront of technological and clinical advances over the years. We are the oldest, and one of the largest centres for ophthalmic treatment, teaching and research in Scotland, now being the only free-standing eye hospital in the country and, in partnership with the University of Edinburgh, have the only University Chair of Ophthalmology in the country.
We have seen many changes in Ophthalmology since the 1st of October 1969, when HRH Princess Alexandra opened the hospital, but we continue to work to improve our understanding of eye diseases by carrying out various experimental and clinical research projects. We have also participated together with our professional colleagues to bring about changes to improve our clinical services over the recent years. Ophthalmology services in Lothian remain at the leading edge particularly in working collaboratively with colleagues and patients.
Our Goal
Our major goal is to provide high quality care and treatment of NHS patients with a wide range of eye problems, from common complaints to rare conditions. We are also a major postgraduate teaching centre training junior doctors and a national centre for ophthalmic research.
Patient Attendances
In a year, The Eye Pavilion and our clinics in St Johns Hospital, Livingston, handle nearly 80,000 outpatient attendances in our clinics and around 12,000 emergency visits to our acute referral clinic. We also carry out inpatient and day-case procedures, including laser procedures and intra-vitreal injections.
Research
In 2011 a new University of Edinburgh Professor of Ophthalmology was appointed, for the first time in 20 years. We continue to push the boundaries of research and are involved currently in a number of large projects, including stem cell research in collaboration with the world famous Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. Along with our partners at the Heriot-Watt University and the Edinburgh Bioquarter, there has been significant and world class research into eye diseases of babies who are born prematurely and innovations in how the field of vision is measure in children, and many other projects.