When Lead Engineer Paul Lichtenhaur retired after 30-plus years, Medmont wanted to honour his legacy with a gift that truly makes a difference. To mark his incredible career, we donated a M700 Automated Perimeter to the Moorditj Koort Aboriginal Corporation (MKAC) Miyal Clinic in Parmelia, Western Australia.
And what a difference they’re making.
Life-changing care, close to home
Established in November 2024 by the UWA Department of Optometry, the MKAC Miyal Clinic delivers essential, culturally safe eye care to the local community. The scope and dedication of their team is extraordinary:
- Serving patients from 7-month-old infants to 82-year-old elders, the team has examined over 200 Aboriginal community members to date.
- Beyond routine check-ups and diabetic eye checks, the clinic treats a wide spectrum of complex conditions—ranging from dense cataracts and optic neuritis to traumatic glaucoma, cranial nerve palsies and stroke-related functional vision loss.
- Their one-stop-shop model integrates GP-optometry collaboration with on-site spectacle dispensing via Deadly Vision Eyewear, Australia’s first Aboriginal-owned optical and eye care provider.
- Final-year optometry students spend 24 weeks each year at the clinic, building vital skills in culturally appropriate care and communication.
Closing the gap in local diagnostics
Visual field testing is essential to early detection for progressive eye diseases like glaucoma, as well as critical neurological conditions. Without testing, subtle peripheral vision loss can go unnoticed until permanent damage occurs. Previously, because the clinic’s older visual field machine was unusable, patients needing these critical assessments had to be referred to external practices or hospital ophthalmology departments. For many, navigating external appointments adds significant stress, expense and travel barriers, often leading to delayed diagnoses or interrupted care.
MKAC Optometrist and UWA Lecturer Hannah Jackson shared:
“Having a visual field machine available within the clinic will make a significant difference to the service and care that we can provide to patients. It will ensure patients are appropriately diagnosed within the clinic and triaged timelier through ophthalmology services when required.
One thing that patients really appreciate about MKAC is continuity of care. With access to this visual field machine, care appropriately remains within the clinic… I can promise it will be put to good use, with at least 6 patients in recent weeks who will significantly benefit from this assessment being done within the clinic.”
A lasting legacy
For over three decades, Paul shaped the technology behind Medmont’s technology. Knowing his life’s work empowers local clinicians and protects vision in underserved communities is the ultimate tribute to his legacy.
Thank you to Hannah and the entire team at MKAC Miyal Clinic for the vital work you do every single day. We are honoured to support your mission.