Home / Health / Thunder Bay First for Sight-Saving Eye Surgery
Thunder Bay First for Sight-Saving Eye Surgery
5 Jul
Summary
- Local surgeries prevent urgent travel for eye treatment.
- First patient underwent a new gas bubble and laser procedure.
- Nearly a dozen patients treated locally since November 2025.
The Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre has launched a new service offering simple retinal detachment repair surgeries, significantly improving timely care for northwestern Ontario residents. Previously, patients faced urgent travel to southern Ontario or out of province for this critical treatment.
Dr. Alex Pisig, the hospital's ophthalmologist, expressed a desire to help local patients avoid stressful winter travel. Patients undergoing the procedure must avoid flying due to air pressure changes affecting the injected gas bubble, requiring travel via northern highways.
Bob Campbell was the first patient to receive this treatment on November 27, 2025, after experiencing symptoms like "floaters" and "curtains" in his vision. He underwent a new procedure involving an injected gas bubble and laser to reattach his retina.
Nearly a dozen patients have since benefited from this service, made possible through a collaboration involving Dr. Pisig, the Lions Vision Care Centre, hospital administration, and the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation, which provided donor-funded surgical gas canisters.
