A 25-year-old man recently underwent a novel procedure at the Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital to correct a corneal flaw.
G.H. Mohan Kumar of Arni, who was working at a private firm in Gummidipoondi, had been suffering from blurred vision that had progressively worsened over the years. “In the last three years, my eyesight began to fade and I could read only large print even with glasses on,” he said.
The ESIC hospital referred him to the Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, where he was diagnosed as suffering from keratoconus, a condition in which the cornea bulges.
Soosan Jacob, director and chief of Dr. Agarwal’s Refractive and Cornea Foundation, said it was decided to use donor tissues to stretch the cornea to near-normal position.
In a 20-minute procedure, Dr. Jacob used the synthetic prosthesis as a tool to insert the donor tissue segment. Then the cornea was monitored.
“After one-and-a-half years, Mohan Kumar’s cornea has not bulged,” said the hospital’s executive director Ashvin Agarwal.
Mr. Kumar said he can now read well with glasses.
