Dr Robin Abell

BMedSci, MBBS (Hons), MMed, FRANZCO

Cataract, Cornea, Refractive Surgery & General Ophthalmology

Robin has returned to Hobart to practice as a General Ophthalmologist, with subspecialty interests in Cornea and Laser Refractive Surgery.

Robin graduated from the University of Tasmania with First Class Honours before undertaking a Masters of Medicine in Ophthalmic Sciences with more than 20 published research articles arising from his Masters thesis on Femtosecond Laser-Assisted Cataract Surgery.  He went on to complete his Ophthalmology training at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, followed by subspecialty fellowship training in Cornea and Refractive Surgery.  He has a special interest in laser vision correction, Cataract surgery in corneal disease, Fuchs Dystrophy and Keratoconus.  He is highly skilled in modern techniques of corneal transplantation, and has trained several local and visiting corneal specialists at the Eye and Ear Hospital in descemet’s membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK) surgery.  He attends the Cornea Clinic at the Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne once a month as a visiting specialist.

Title:

“Finding pathology in the layers of the cornea – Recurrent Corneal Erosion Syndrome, Post-refractive surgery dry eye, and an update on Keratoconus, and Fuchs Dystrophy”

Outline:

This session will provide a guide on detecting and managing conditions commonly affecting the cornea in Tasmania, and how to detect these using corneal topography.  This includes dry eye occurring after cataract and refractive surgery, recurrent corneal erosion syndrome, keratoconus, and Fuchs dystrophy. It will also provide an update on the latest diagnostic and therapeutic research and technology in these areas.  Lastly, the session will provide some guidance for urgency of referral and initial management strategies for the above conditions.

Objectives:

– Understand features of normal corneal topography and difference between topography and tomography

– Recognise common pathologies on topography

– Be up-to-date with latest technology for diagnosis and management of common eye conditions

– Have a guideline for referral urgency and initial management strategies