The Virudhunagar Government Medical College Hospital has got advanced laser equipment to treat diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma. Besides, the Department of Ophthalmology has got a new operation theatre where cataract operations can be performed.
Hospital dean, J. Sangumani, said diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma have become common diseases among the people. Early detection and treatment of these conditions will help in preventing blindness. “Till now, people with these complications were going to Madurai for treatment. Now that Yag Laser Peripheral Iridotomy treatment and Pan Retinal Photo Coagulation treatment are available at the medical college hospital, people need not travel to far-off places and can also get the treatment free of cost here,” he said.
The medical college hospital gets around 60 to 70 outpatients who come for various eye-related ailments every day. “Out of them 50% come with cataract problems and the other 50% have retinopathy or glaucoma,” said assistant professor, S. Bharathirajan of the Department of Ophthalmology.
The new laser equipment, worth around ₹25 lakh and the new operation theatre were inaugurated at the CEmONC building on Thursday.
“Till March 2020, we were taking up around 50 cataract operations every month. The building was demolished as part of a renovation projects and patients were being taken to government hospitals in Rajapalayam and Aruppukottai for the cataract operations. Now, we expect more patients to avail themselves of the services as the hospital has been upgraded to a Government Medical College hospital,” he added.
The treatments that could cost around ₹15,000 to ₹40,000 could be done free of cost at the medical college hospital.
People who are under the Chief Minister’s Health Insurance Scheme can also make use of the facilities, the Dean said.
