General News
9 February, 2026
Donation upgrades eye injury care at Horsham ED
A community donation has enabled the Grampians Health Horsham campus emergency department to capture images of eye injuries.
This capability allows patients to be referred to specialists more efficiently.
The Wimmera Health Care Group Foundation donated $46,000 to purchase a high-quality Swiss-made slit-lamp microscope.
The device provides a 3D, high-magnification view of the eye.
ED Head of Unit Dr Peter Carter said the new slit lamp replaced a 20-year-old device that couldn’t display images or save them.
“This microscope has simpler use, more features and higher power, and we now have the capacity to document and potentially send images as required.” Dr Carter said.
“It is getting used every single day in ED, and it is also ideal for educating our junior doctors on eye injuries.
"We are very happy with this new acquisition and very grateful for it."
Dr Carter noted that without the foundation’s support, upgrading equipment or expanding capacity would be very difficult due to system demand.
“Funding groups such as the foundation are just so important to us," he explained.
Foundation director Richard Goudie said he was pleased the foundation could support such an important upgrade.
“This device wasn’t going to be funded by the department, so this is typically where we step in and help,” Mr Goudie said.