May 5, 2021
EDSON – Local and area residents requiring cataract surgery will soon be able to undergo the procedure at the Edson Healthcare Centre.
As part of a new local cataract surgery program, launching May 20, ophthalmologist Dr. Hermina Strungaru will perform up to 18 cataract eye surgeries a day, two days a month, at the local Alberta Health Services (AHS) facility. Previously, local and area residents would need to undergo the procedure in Edmonton or Grande Prairie.
Patients from Edson, Hinton, Jasper, Whitecourt and Drayton Valley can be referred to Dr. Strungaru by their local optometrists.
“The introduction of cataract surgery services in Edson supports the Government of Alberta’s goal of ensuring Albertans can access the healthcare services they need as close to home as possible,” says Martin Long, MLA-West Yellowhead. “I’d like to thank Dr. Strungaru for supporting this program, and the Community Care Foundation of Edson and District for making this possible.”
The foundation raised $60,000 and purchased a specialized piece of surgical equipment, a phaco machine, used to emulsify and remove cataracts.
“As they say, good things come to those who wait,” says foundation chairperson Ruth Martin Williams. “The foundation received donations specifically for ophthalmology and were unwilling to use it for other well-deserving projects. Foundation board members – past and present – were determined to keep it specifically for ophthalmology.”
Williams added the foundation will be funding a second phaco emulsifier, as well as a refrigerator for the ophthalmology program at Edson Healthcare Centre.
“Adding surgical capacity in high-demand areas is a key priority for AHS,” says Sandra Herritt, AHS Senior Operating Officer for Edson and area. “These additional procedures will enable more Albertans to have their cataract surgeries done in a timely manner. We are very excited to launch this new program in Edson.”
Prior to surgery, patients will require a pre-operative assessment at Dr. Strungaru’s office in Sherwood Park, 220 km east of Edson, but surgery and post-operative assessments will all be done at the Edson Healthcare Centre.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
