Vibha eyeing up the future
Central Middlesex Hospital always had an eye for a good opportunity so head hunted its entire ophthalmology team 25 years ago.
It laid the foundations for a service which today serves one of London’s most ethnically diverse communities seeing more than 500 patients a week.
It was certainly a change of pace for Vibha Vora, Head of Orthoptist and Optometry Services, who is one of the last members of the original team and retires this Christmas after 25 years at the hospital.
Vibha said: “The size, ethnicity and deprivation were in marked contrast to the fringes of greater London where we originally worked and we dealt with a big increase in conditions like diabetes and glaucoma which are common among the BAME community.
“We have our work cut out but the service is well-respected amongst our professional peers and it is a privilege to work with an amazing team.”
The orthoptic service is mainly responsible for diagnosing and treatment of squints and lazy eyes in children but also patients with a range of eye muscle problems from trauma injuries and thyroid complications to double vision or eye strain.
It also runs a variety of diabetic, glaucoma, corneal, macular and oculoplastic clinics.
One of the service’s challenges is highlighting the danger of spending too much time on electronic devices like phones and tablets. A common effect of overexposing your eyes to digital devices and screens are tension headaches which are simply avoided by having screen breaks.
Vibha began eyeing up a career as an orthoptist as a youngster after watching Clarence the Cross-eyed Lion, a film about a lion with squint.
“It just fascinated me for some reason. I also knew a young girl with squint who I used to go into hospital with to provide some moral support. My interest grew from there.”
She has seen huge changes in the service since she qualified in 1979 including the rise in squints and lazy eyes in special needs children; an increase in diabetes related eye conditions; and increased incidences of macular degeneration and glaucoma.
The eyes may not be the windows to the soul but they do provide evidence of sometimes life threatening conditions like brain tumours, diabetes, intracranial hypertension and vein occlusion.
Vibha added: “The educational part of our role is important, especially in this part of London which has such high incidences of diabetes so we run dietary advice sessions to help combat this.”
It’s maybe not surprising that Vibha will be keeping her eye in when she retires by pursuing her interest in photography.
“I’ve had a good career, lovely work colleagues and a job where you help people. You can’t ask for more than that. However I’m looking forward to retirement and future.”