A new vision museum located in the QEI clinic waiting area #1 houses ophthalmology instruments and vision aids collected by Professor Lawrence Hirst and donated to the Queensland Eye Institute to mark its 20th anniversary in 2025.
Professor Lawrence Hirst was the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the Queensland Eye Institute. An expert in treating pterygium and active in clinical research for many years prior, Professor Hirst built an integrated research facility and ophthalmology clinic in 2005 under the auspices of the Prevent Blindness Foundation (now Queensland Eye Institute Foundation).
The Queensland Eye Institute represented a new model of ophthalmology practice in Queensland, offering a unique opportunity for eye surgeons to pursue research interests and share their skills with trainees while continuing to deliver advanced vision care.
The Queensland Eye Institute was made possible by a grant from the Sylvia and Charles Viertel Charitable Foundation. Read more about the history of the Queensland Eye Institute Foundation here : Official Opening Marks Next Chapter.
Then and now
The museum’s contents remind us how far we’ve come in treating eye diseases.
The vintage tonometer on display was invented by Dr. Hjalmar Schiøtz in 1905 and was a standard screening tool in ophthalmology for decades. A tonometer measures intraocular pressure to diagnose and monitor eye conditions like glaucoma. This old version used a weighted plunger placed on the cornea to measure pressure based on the depth of indentation via a curved footplate, a scale and various interchangeable weights.
Today’s clinicians have access to non-invasive instruments like the Icare IC100 which uses rebound technology. A light probe makes momentary contact with the cornea to measure pressure without the need for anaesthetic drops or air puffs.
