What We Do
The Division of Ophthalmology is responsible for the management of patients at two internationally renowned teaching hospitals affiliated with the University of Cape Town (UCT). We treat patients from across the Western Cape as well as elsewhere in South Africa. Our clinical platform enables us to teach students, train local and international specialists and fellows and conduct scientific research into conditions relevant to our clinical practice.
Clinical Practice
We aim to provide the highest standards of clinical practice, while remaining mindful of the needs and priorities of a developing country. Our team is made up of consultants, fellows, registrars, medical officers, nurses, clinical technicians, optometrists, community eye health workers and administrative staff. We maintain close ties with colleagues in private practice to allow for the care of patients across our community and to contribute to the growth and leadership of our specialty, nationally and internationally.
Surgery
We provide both inpatient and outpatient medical, surgical and nursing care at our dedicated ophthalmic facilities. We run operating sessions several days each week in two tertiary hospitals, with teams performing surgery concurrently. We have a strong emphasis on high volume cataract surgery and are available to perform trauma and emergency surgery 24 hours a day.
Outpatient
Our full complement of staff attends to weekly outpatient appointments as well as an emergency referral clinic. Various subspecialty clinics provide care for patients with specific groups of diseases, such as surgical retina, medical retina, uveitis, paediatrics, glaucoma, cornea, oculoplastics, oncology and neuro-ophthalmology.
Where we are
Our Division is responsible for the integrated care of Ophthalmology patients at UCT's major teaching hospitals: Groote Schuur Hospital and the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital. These academic hospitals are integral components of the health service of the Provincial Government of the Western Cape, with their main functions being to provide patient care (especially at tertiary and higher levels), teaching and research.
Groote Schuur Hospital
Groote Schuur is Dutch for ‘Great Barn’, named after the original estate, that was established by Dutch settlers in the 17th Century and subsequently bequeathed to the nation by Cecil John Rhodes.
Groote Schuur Hospital (GSH) is one of the major teaching hospitals in South Africa. Founded in 1938 with a major expansion project in 1984 culminating in the “New Groote Schuur Hospital”, the hospital has just celebrated its 80th anniversary. At its inception, the hospital was intended to be ‘a South African and not a Cape Town institution’, training medical students from all over the country (and happily we can now say, from all over the continent).
The institution shot to world-wide fame in 1967 when Christiaan Barnard conducted the first human heart transplant there. The hospital provides care and training in all major disciplines of medicine on a total budget of close to R2.5 billion with 900 beds and over 4,000 staff. The hospital treats over 43 000 in-patients and has almost 470 000 people attending outpatient clinics annually.
UCT’s Medical School is situated across the road from this tertiary care training hospital.
Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital
The adult services at GSH are complemented by the paediatric services at Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital.
UCT Private Academic Hospital
A highly specialised private hospital, the UCT Private Academic Hospital is located within Groote Schuur Hospital but is administered separately by Netcare in partnership with the University.