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Future Woman

For Your Eyes Only


👤FM Bureau 🕔10-August-2013
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Eyes are the wonderful sensory organs which help people learn about the world in which they live. Eyes see all sorts of things - big or small, near or far, smooth or textured, colours and dimensions. Eyes have many parts - all of which must function in order to see properly. Imagine how dark the world could be for someone who does not have proper eyesight. So the protection and care of eyes are the most important responsibility of an individual.  
Chaithanya Eye Hospital and Research Institute, a superspecialty hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, is committed to eye care and the treatment of eye diseases. To deliver its vision - Prevention of blindness- the institute has been taking initiatives to reach each section of society with quality eye care. Manned by highly qualified doctors, trained medical and paramedical staff, the institute remains wedded to high ethical standards and the state-of–the–art treatment techniques.
In an interview with Future Medicine, Dr KGR Nair, MD, of Chaithanya Eye Hospital, talks about the potentiality of the hospital in the present context


By FM Bureau

Committed to eye care treatment

Chaithanya believes in ensuring eye care through Giving Light Protecting Vision and Spreading Hope. Recognising that advancement in eye care can proceed only with a multilevel approach, the institute strives to promote and provide superior patient care, community programmes for treatment and educational activities for the future ophthalmic service providers and research activities aimed at  advancements in treatment modalities.

Chaithanya has extended its facilities by establishing centres in Kochi and plans to further expand to other parts of the state. Within a short span of 10 years, the hospital has established itself as the biggest private sector hospital in Kerala. Patients from overseas, including Maldives, Middle East, the UK and the US, are regularly treated at the twin facilities in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi.

Free treatment, surgeries for poor

Simultaneously, a charitable trust working towards the prevention and elimination of blindness was started. Chaithanya Sight Foundation in association with the hospital has conducted close to 230 free rural eye camps. In these camps, thousands of persons were screened and intraocular lens implantations were carried out free of charge when required. Besides, in association with Help Age India, the hospital has conducted around 250 cataract surgeries for poor patients. At present, a project to do free cataract surgeries for 1,000 poor patients is ongoing. Awareness programmes are also held regularly for rural population, school children, senior citizens etc.

The other institutions functioning under Chaithanya  include the Chaithanya Sight Foundation, Chaithanya Eye Bank (Functioning in collaboration with Eye Bank Association of India), The Chaithanya Lasik Centre, a centre of excellence for refractive surgery, the Chaithanya Teleophthalomology Services to promote the use of teleophthalmologyand Drishti Opticals, a dedicated optical establishment.

The Foundation also publishes Sight Kerala, a magazine to promote eye care. Eminent ophthalmologists and social workers regularly write in the magazine.

Ophthalmology PG training

The institute has accreditation of National Board of Examinations, New Delhi, to train candidates for the prestigious PG course-Diplomate National Board degree. Six doctors are trained each year for this course. Doctors trained by Chaithanya have secured placement in reputed ophthalmic hospitals in the country.

Fellowship programmes

Dr K G R Nair,
Cheif Consultant

The research institute offers fellowshipprogrammes for Advanced Cataract Microsurgery. It is a two-month programme which includes didactic lectures,fellow presentation,wetlabtraining, live surgical demonstrations and supervised surgery. The trainers include Dr KGR Nair, Dr Minu Mathen, Dr Anil Radhakrishnan and Dr Swapna Nair.

The programmeis held with the patronage of Chaithanya Sight Foundation and Appasamy Associates, Chennai.

Training in all sub specialties

A six-month rotation in all sub specialties, including the Advanced Cataract Microsurgery programme, is in place. The training will be in various departments, including glaucoma cornea pediatric ophthalmology and vitreoretina.

Medical retina diagnosis and treatment

A two-month training in the medical retina diagnosis and treatment will familiarise the doctor with the use of indirect ophthalmoscope, slit lamp biomicroscopy, ultrasound OCT FFA ICG and their importance in the diagnosis of retinal pathology. Training inlaser photocoagulation will also be undertaken.

Internship in optometry

K G B Nair,
Director
(Finance & Administartion)

School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of New South Wales, in Australia regularly sends Final Year Bachelor of Optometry students to the hospital for preceptorship programme. Final Year BSc Optometry students of School of Medical Education, Regional Institute of Ophthalmology Thiruvananthapuram and Little Flower Hospital, Angamaly, are given internship at the hospital.

Vitreo Retinal Clinic

The Vitreo Retinal Clinic is involved in the management of diseases of the inner light sensitive layer of the eye.Conditions like diabetic retinopathy, retinal detachment, AMD macular hole etc. are among the diseases. 

Cornea service

The cornea service of Chaithanya Eye Hospital and Research Institute handles nearly the entire range of corneal disorders, including trauma, dry eye and infections. It gets steady referrals from ophthalmologists from all over Kerala, other southern states, Maldives and Gulf countries, for proper diagnosis and management of complicated corneal problems.    

Research and development


Any science thrives on active research and development. At Chaithanya, learning from experience and keeping abreast with the developments made in ocular care throughout the world are an ongoing exercise. It tries to adapt to the latest techniques in Indian scenario in a cost-effective manner. Chaithanya is also a nodal centre to understand the eye ailments of the region.

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