Julian Glover, Bond villain and voice of the giant animatronic spider Aragog, in Harry Potter’s Chamber of Secrets, opened Kingston Hospital’s new retina eye unit, a centre for excellence in the treatment of retinal conditions on Wednesday 22 November.

The Nadhmi Auchi Retina Centre, which was developed with the help of Kingston Hospital Charity, will enable ophthalmologists to diagnose and deliver specialist care to the growing number of patients with age-related macular degeneration and other conditions that affect the back of the eye, including diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachments, and other disorders.  The new centre will also serve as a hub for innovation to explore and deliver new treatments.

Clinical Lead & Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Kingston Hospital’s Royal Eye Unit, Mr Wisam Muen says:

‘This new retina centre represents a significant step forward in our commitment to both eye care excellence and our mission to preserve and improve the precious gift of sight.  We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Kingston Hospital Charity and all who have generously contributed to making this new centre a reality.’

Barnes based screen, stage and TV actor Julian Glover, who is a patient at Kingston Hospital’s Royal Eye Unit says:

‘In 2016 I was brought in here with pneumonia, but they immediately spotted I had a heart complaint, and a fortnight later I had the operation for atrial fibrillation.  So that’s seven extra years this hospital has given me so far, so I’m very grateful. And I’m grateful now because I have macular degeneration which didn’t used to be treatable, but it is now, and you can have an injection in the eye, which sounds ghastly, but it isn’t, and it’s done so well by this hospital.  I’ve now been given my sight back.’

Our thanks to all who supported Kingston Hospital Charity’s fundraising campaign to develop this new unit, which is set to make a meaningful impact on the lives of many patients and their families by delivering care in the best possible clinical environment, as efficiently as possible.