- Ophthalmology
Protecting sight when every hour matters
Serious eye conditions such as retinal detachment, diabetic eye disease and macular degeneration can threaten a person's vision — and without timely treatment, can lead to permanent blindness.
WRHN's Retina Surgery Program provides urgent, sight-saving care for patients experiencing serious retinal conditions, many of which are time-sensitive emergencies.
A growing need for specialized eye care
Demand for retinal care is increasing as our community grows and ages. Conditions such as diabetes and severe nearsightedness can also increase the risk of serious eye disease.
Up to 20%
of the population is at risk of serious eye disease.
1 in 10,000
people experience retinal detachment.
Ages 40-70
have the highest risk of retinal detachment.
Patient Story
Saving sight: How specialized care at WRHN helped a local doctor see clearly again
WRHN’s specialized retinal care helped Dr. Ian Digby prevent vision loss, restore his sight and access life-changing eye treatment close to home.
When sight is at risk, time matters
When your vision is on the line, getting the right treatment quickly can make all the difference. You help patients access the timely eye care they need, right here in your community.
The Retina Surgery Program gives patients across Waterloo Wellington and surrounding regions access to specialized surgical care when they need it most.
Your gift today helps reduce travel burdens for treatment and follow-up care, and eases the strain on patients and their families.
Watch Inside WRHN | S01 E05
A Conversation with Dr. Toby Chan | Co-division Head of Ophthalmology at WRHN
- Did you know?
Today, the program is fully operational and delivering life-changing care to patients, right here at home.
- 512 retinal surgeries annually
- Majority of cases are urgent or emergent
- 100 patients treated in the program's first year
- 450 surgeries annually — target capacity by Year 4
How donor support brought Retina Surgery back to Waterloo Region
Launched in September 2023 with a transformational gift from the Savvas Chamberlain Family Foundation, WRHN’s Retina Surgery Program brought specialized eye care to Waterloo Region for the first time.
Before the program started, patients had to travel outside the region when they needed timely retinal surgery.
To all the donors...I give my sincere thanks. Without your support a lot of the specialty coverage that we do perform daily wouldn't have been possible.
Dr. Toby Chan
Co-division Head of Ophthalmology at WRHN
Helping you see a brighter future
Because retinal conditions can lead to permanent vision loss without warning, immediate care isn't optional – it's essential. Your gift ensures local patients don't have to travel hours away during a sight-threatening emergency.
Your support helps:
- Keep sight-saving eye surgeries available locally when emergency strikes
- Equip care teams with advanced surgical technology
- Attract leading eye specialists to care for our community
It takes $1 million in donor support each year to keep this program running. Without community support, local access to emergency eye care for hundreds of patients each year is at risk.
More than sight
Healthy vision is essential to living fully. Preserving sight safeguards independence, promotes health equity, and transforms quality of life across our region.
Donor generosity, propels innovation at WRHN’s Regional Eye Program, including the Savvas Chamberlain Eye Clinic.
By bringing together leading surgical specialists, state-of-the-art technology, and seamlessly coordinated care, we ensure exceptional, life-changing eye care remains accessible right here in our community.
