CHENNAI: Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan, Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry on Sunday urged medical students, ophthalmologists, scientists and academicians to focus on preventive ophthalmology.
She was speaking after inaugurating Reticon, an initiative of Dr Agarwal’s Retina Foundation. Tamilisai said people visit ophthalmologists mostly for refractive errors. "Diabetic retinopathy and diabetic blindness are more common now, adding proper food habits can prevent many eye diseases," he said.
Dr Amar Agarwal, Chairman, Dr Agarwal's Eye Hospitals said, over 750 doctors across the country participated in the conference. The aim of the conference was to highlight the latest technology in vitreoretinal management and prevent blindness.
In India, there are about 15 million people without vision. The retina is the most important part of the eyes for final vision. People should get it checked regularly as retinal diseases diagnosed early can save eyesight as compared to other eye diseases, said Dr Agarwal.
Dr Mohan Rajan, Chairman and Medical Director, Rajan Eye Care Hospital said, "Cataract is the cause for blindness in around 55 per cent of people."
Dr S Natarajan, Chairman, Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, Mumbai, spoke about preventing blindness, particularly due to diabetic retinopathy by screening people at doorsteps. Dr Agarwal said, "Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital, merged with Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals, becoming the 100th centre of the eye hospital chain."