Conference to discuss advancements in retina care held in city
'RETICON 2025', a conference to discuss various advancements in retina care organised by Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, was held in the city on Sunday.
Ashvin Agarwal, chief clinical officer, Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, said that, back in 2011, the conference was started as an initiative with an idea to spotlight advanced technology and foster discussions on retina care. 'Today in 'RETICON 2025', there is everything – from panel discussions to talks – to provide insights.
It becomes important to highlight the issues [in the retina] and the advancements in treatment to not just current surgeons but also to budding retinal surgeons and young ophthalmologists. The conference is a cross pollination of ideas and discussions,' he said.
Amar Agarwal, chairman, Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, says today in India, there are nearly two crore people with blindness and one of the biggest diseases in India is diabetes.
'Getting your eyes checked every six months should be a prerogative when you are diagnosed with diabetes. Because, even if diabetes is well-controlled in someone, he/she can get bleeding in the eye. But if we immediately get it treated, it can be solved easily,' he said.
The conference focused on techniques, such as glued intraocular lens, scleral fixated techniques, and intravitreal injections, and also featured a wet-lab to provide practical training.
Mohan Rajan, vice-president of All India Ophthalmological Society and chairman and medical director of Rajan Eye Care hospital, said: 'Such focus meetings are extremely important, useful, and informative.'
Chennai North MP Kalanidhi Veeraswamy and Athiya Agarwal, director, Dr. Agarwals Group of Eye Hospitals, also spoke.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
7 hours ago
- Time of India
Overnight lenses that reshape cornea could slow down myopia progression
Chennai: A new type of contact lens that can be worn overnight to help reshape the cornea and slow the eye's elongation, allowing people with myopia, or near-sightedness, to see without glasses or lenses during the day, will be tested in 200 children at city-based Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital for at least one and a half years, along with scientists from Japan. Myopia is a growing epidemic, afflicting the eyes of children, said the hospital's Chief Clinical Officer, Dr Ashvin Agarwal. People with myopia can see close-up objects clearly, but to read blackboards, engage in cycling, driving, or recognising the faces of people down the road, they may need glasses. "From a prevalence of 4% in 1999 to 21% in 2019, myopia is expected to affect 40% of India's population by 2040 and touch close to 50% by 2050. We are trying to slow down the progression," he said. Similarly, digital eye strain now affects 50%-60% of children in India, driven by increased screen time. Orthokeratology lenses are gas-permeable, rigid contact lenses that temporarily reshape the cornea of your eye. "People wear these lenses while they are sleeping. When they wake up and remove these lenses, their cornea holds its new shape, allowing them to see clearly without the need for glasses or daytime contact lenses," he said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pinga-Pinga e HBP? Tome isso 1x ao dia se tem mais de 40 anos Portal Saúde do Homem Clique aqui Undo In refractive errors, the cornea's shape is irregular, causing blurry vision. These lenses exert gentle hydraulic pressure on the tear film beneath the lens, which in turn reshapes the corneal cells, say experts. This temporary change in corneal curvature allows light to focus properly on the retina. Experts say they work like dental retainers that maintain the shape of teeth. "It must be worn every night. Our test will show who is benefiting from these glasses," he said. For the study, launched in Feb, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital has collaborated with Japan's Menicon Co Ltd for joint research on these lenses. This study will check the efficacy and safety of the orthokeratology lens for Indian children. "We aim to develop solutions and raise awareness about the treatment," said Menicon Co Ltd regional director (China and Asia-Oceania) Shunsuke Yamagishi. These lenses won't be available for sale until doctors evaluate the benefits and side effects. "If this is successful, it will offer freedom from glasses and eventually show us the path towards a cure for myopia," Dr Agarwal said.
The Hindu
14 hours ago
- The Hindu
Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital partners with Japanese firm to research myopia control treatment
Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital has partnered with Menicon Co. Ltd, a Japan-based contact lens manufacturing company, to undertake research and development in myopia control treatment. They have started clinical studies in India using an orthokeratology lens that is worn overnight to improve vision, with the aim of checking its efficacy and safety for children in India. On Monday, Ashvin Agarwal, chief clinical officer, Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, and Shunsuke Yamagishi, regional director, China and Asia-Oceania International Business Head Office, Menicon Co. Ltd, signed a Memorandum of Understanding for joint research and development efforts to develop myopia control treatment, training ophthalmologists and optometrists, raising awareness on the treatment as well as expansion plans in India and neighbouring regions, according to a press release. Myopia cases have increased significantly in India from 4% in 1999 to 21% in 2019. It is expected to grow to 30% in the next five years, to 40% by 2040 and 48% by 2050, Dr. Ashvin said. One of the main aims of this tie-up is to reduce the incidence of myopia, he added. Backed by the Japanese government, they have initiated the study to explore effective strategies for controlling and mitigating vision-related issues. The study was launched by the Research and Development unit of the clinical board of the hospital. Orthokeratology lenses are custom-made and designed to gently reshape the cornea to correct myopia, the release said. The technology was to basically help patients at risk of myopia, such as those with a family history and those with the early stages of the condition, Dr. Ashvin said. With the growing challenges of myopia, this partnership marks a significant step towards tackling the issue, Mr. Yamagishi said. S.V. Chandrakumar, project director, State Programme Officer, Tamil Nadu State Blindness Control Society, took part.
India Today
14-05-2025
- India Today
No transplant, no stitches: The eye surgery giving patients a second chance at sight
In a country where the shortage of donor corneas often stands between a patient and restored vision, an innovative eye surgery developed in India is offering new as Pinhole Pupilloplasty (PPP), the technique is changing the way ophthalmologists treat patients with severe corneal conditions, without the need for corneal transplants or lengthy recovery transplants are required when the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye, becomes damaged or diseased to the point where it affects vision or causes Injuries from trauma, infections (like herpes simplex or fungal keratitis), keratoconus etc., would need corneal by Dr. Amar Agarwal, Chairman of Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, this groundbreaking procedure has not only found takers across India but is also gaining recognition on the global fact, the eye surgery earned Dr. Agarwal an international award at the ASCRS Film Festival in Los Angeles. Dr. Amar Agarwal won an international award at the ASCRS Film Festival in Los Angeles. The technique, now widely practiced in several countries, has been credited with restoring sight where traditional methods fall short."Some patients have very high astigmatism that cannot be corrected with usual methods, and toric intraocular lenses only work up to a certain level. This gave me the idea to create a pinhole effect in the pupil itself, which led to the first Pinhole Pupilloplasty," Dr. Agarwal told SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE TO CORNEAL TRANSPLANTIn traditional cases of corneal scarring, eye doctors often recommend a corneal transplant - a procedure that relies heavily on donor tissue, involves a long healing period, and carries the risk of graft pinhole pupilloplasty method uses stitches to change the shape of the pupil without needing a donor cornea, and patients recover much faster compared to traditional principle is simple: by reducing the size of the pupil to about 1-1.5 mm, similar to the tip of a pin, incoming light is focused more effectively onto the retina, bypassing irregularities in the cornea. Pinhole surgery instead of regular corneal transplant (Image 1: pre-operation vision. Image 2: Post-operation eye) The result? Sharper vision with reduced glare, especially for patients with complex eye issues like corneal scars, keratoconus, or radial keratotomy complications."With the pinhole technique, patients recover much faster, and long-term results are very promising. It removes the risks of rejection and prolonged medication associated with corneal transplantation," said Dr. MAKES THE PINHOLE TECHNIQUE UNIQUE?advertisementThe procedure uses very thin stitches to change the shape of the coloured part of the eye and make a small central opening (pupil). It may sound simple, but what makes it special is how precise and flexible it earlier surgical techniques such as the Modified Siepser's or McCannel methods, the pinhole pupilloplasty method requires fewer steps and causes less post-operative has distinct advantages in managing rare but difficult conditions like Urrets-Zavalia Syndrome (a fixed dilated pupil), silicon oil-induced glaucoma, and even cases of raised intraocular pressure where standard treatments fail. The procedure uses very thin stitches to change the shape of the coloured part of the eye (pupil) and make a small central opening. () "It's quicker and simpler, and the pupil tightens enough to reduce glare and photophobia. It's particularly useful in patients with higher-order corneal aberrations. Plus, it's reversible. We can undo it with a YAG laser if necessary," explained Dr. CAN BENEFIT FROM THE PROCEDURE?advertisementThe surgery is ideal for patients who:Have corneal tears that caused irregular astigmatismPreviously underwent corneal grafts and developed distorted visionHave permanent pupil dilation with glareAre living with keratoconus (conical cornea)Have had radial keratotomy in the past, an outdated refractive surgeryIt is also useful in situations where a pupil has lost its ability to constrict, causing overwhelming glare, or when the shape of the cornea is so irregular that glasses or contact lenses no longer AFFORDABLE OPTION FOR INDIA AND BEYONDFor India, where the gap between demand and availability of donor corneas remains stark, the pinhole pupilloplasty surgery has immense public health implications. Estimates suggest that over 1 lakh corneal transplants are required annually in India, but only around 25,000 are performed due to limited donor supply. () Estimates suggest that over 1 lakh corneal transplants are required annually in India, but only around 25,000 are performed due to limited donor supply.'With Pinhole Pupilloplasty, we can avoid transplant in many cases,' Dr. Agarwal noted. 'It dramatically reduces the dependency on donor corneas and also cuts down the complications of transplant surgeries.'advertisementNotably, while pinhole intraocular lenses (IOLs) are an alternative used in high-income countries, they come with a steep price tag and fixed designs. PPP offers a more cost-effective, adaptable solution for patients in India and other low-resource THERE ANY RISKS?Like any intraocular procedure, the pinhole method is not without a small risk of the suture (stitch) coming close to the natural lens, which may result in cataract formation. To avoid this, it is typically performed in pseudophakic eyes, which means eyes in which the natural lens has already been replaced with an artificial one, such as after cataract small downside is that it can be hard to check the outer part of the retina through such a tiny pupil. But with modern machines like Optos or Mirante, doctors can still get a clear and complete view without needing to enlarge the pupil. Pinhole Pupilloplasty marks a shift in how eye diseases are approached. () advertisementPinhole Pupilloplasty marks a shift in how eye diseases are approached, especially in a country like India where healthcare resources are unevenly distributed. By eliminating the need for corneal grafts in certain cases and offering near-instant results, this procedure has the potential to democratize vision care."Knowing that this technique is helping people regain sight and confidence drives me to do what I love, to research, innovate, and impact lives with the gift of sight," Dr. Agarwal awareness grows and training becomes more widespread, this homegrown innovation might well become a global standard in complex corneal care.
