Introduction

The Department of Ophthalmology is recognised all over the country and is carrying out advanced surgical techniques in cataract surgery, oculoplastics, corneal transplantation surgery, orbital and lacrimal surgery and retinal & vitreous surgery. The Department is fully equipped with the latest state of the art equipment and has an extremely eminent faculty. 

Dr. A.K. Grover, Chairperson, Department of Ophthalmology, has been recently awarded Padmashree by the government of India and has been elected to be the president of All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) for the year 2011. 

The Department has been a pioneer in the field of phacoemulsification carrying out sutureless cataract surgery without injectable anaesthesia (anasthesia by eye drops) successfully for the last twelve years. The Department has state of the art equipment for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The department aims for best quality care by aiming at best possible glass free distance and near vision after cataract surgery. Recently, the department has obtained the latest phacoemulsification machine, with the help of which IOLs can be implanted through incisions as small as 1.8 mm. The improvement in cataract surgery has heralded an era of newer and innovative intraocular lenses. Accomodative intraocular lenses offer the patients the ability to visualize near objects and to read without the aid of spectacles. Also available are the Multifocal lenses which offer the patients the ability to visualize objects at near, intermediate and far away distances without the aid of spectacles. Toric Lenses offer the correction of preexisting astigmatism. 

Oculoplasty services at our hospital, headed by our team of oculoplasty specialists are doing pioneering work which has received nation wide recognition. A number of oculoplastic & lacrimal surgical procedures are being done exclusively in this department. Patients with conditions like ptosis, congenital ptosis, ectropion, entropion, orbital pathologies like tumors, cysts are managed successfully. Patients involved in road traffic accidents with injury to the facial structures and fracture of the orbital bones are managed by our team in concert with the plastic surgery department of the hospital. A large number of aesthetic procedures like blepharoplasties, fillers, botox injections, correction of oriental eyes are offered by our doctors.

The hospital has an active eye bank which is instrumental in the collection of corneas and processing of tissues. Our team of ophthalmologists have performed over 700 corneal transplantation surgeries over the last 25 years providing sight to countless. The Eye Bank has been actively involved in Hospital Corneal Retrieval Programme and has been very successful. The eye bank has been recently upgraded with the addition of a clinical specular microscope, which helps in determining the health of the donated corneas prior to corneal transplantation. Our department soon plans to begin the newer corneal transplantation procedures like DALK (Deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty) and DSAEK ( Descemets Stripping And Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty) which involve removal of only the diseased parts of the cornea and replacement with healthy tissue.

Glaucoma services of our hospital offer early and effective management of glaucoma. The department is well equipped with latest machines and advanced diagnostic tests like automated perimetry, OCT which are required in the management of glaucoma. Glaucoma surgeries like trabeculectomy, combined surgeries like cataract and trabeculectomy, surgeries for congenital glaucoma and ahmed glauma valve implantation are routinely carried out by our doctors.

Our team of ophthalmologists are also effectively managing childhood problems like refractive errors, congenital cataract and amblyopia (lazy eye). Squint is a condition in which the eyes are not aligned normally, which can lead to decrease in vision. Management of such patients is also done very efficiently by our doctors. 

Vitreoretina services at our hospital offers the state of the art investigative and diagnostic modalities in both medical and surgical retina. The Department was the first to acquire lasers for retinal and anterior segment work in the private sector in the capital. We offer the latest treatment in diabetic retinopathy, age related macular degeneration, myopic degeneration, retinopathy of prematurity, macular hole and retinal detachment. The facilities available are diagnostic like fundus fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography and ultrasound B - Scan and surgical like Intravitreal injections like Lucentis, Macugen etc..for advanced eye diseases, vitrectomy for diabetic eye disease, surgery for retinal detachment, 23 Gauge vitrectomy, pneumatic retinopexy, surgery for complicated cases of trauma, laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy, vascular occlusions and retinopathy of prematuriy.

With better development of subspecialities and addition of all possible latest equipment for better diagnosis and treatment, the department is always upgrading itself. In the near future, the department plans to acquire a LASIK machine which helps in removal of spectacles. All the subspecialities are regularly updated.The department is a major referral centre for complicated cases from all over India, where these cases are successfully managed by our team of ophthalmologists. 

The Department has played an important part in the activities of the All India Ophthalmological Society and Society for Prevention of Blindness in India and the national sub-specialty societies. The Department has also been playing a prominent role in the academic and research activities of Indian Ophthalmology. The faculty is holding prominent position in executives of various ophthalmological societies. 

The Department has been a centre for conducting the fellowship examination of the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons (Glasgow) and has also been designated as an examination centre by the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO).

Equipments
The Department of Ophthalmology is fully equipped with the latest state of the art equipments. 

Specialty Services

• Cataract & Refractive surgery
• Corneal Transplant and Eye Banking
• Glaucoma
• Oculoplasty, Lacrimal & Orbit
• Paediatric Ophthalmology and Squint
• Vitreo Retinal Services-
• Low Vision Aids ( LVA)

Academics

• DNB (Ophthalmology)
• The Department is recognized by the National Board of Examinations for 2 DNB seats every year.
• Vitreoretina fellowship ( FNB – 1 seat every year) – Ours is the only center in north India to have got the accredition from national board to offer a VR fellowship
• The faculty is committed to conduct regular teaching programs for DNB Candidates. Active interest is taken in Seminars, Journal club and case presentations.

Research

The department has an ongoing research in various specialties.

• Bifocal IOLs - Visual Outcome after Phacoemulsification
• Comparative study of optic nerve head changes in open and closed angle glaucoma using Optical Coherence Tomography and its correlation with visual field changes.
• To evaluate effect of Bevacizumab and subtenons Triamcinalone in diffuse diabetic macular edema.
• Efficacy of toric IOLs with or without opposite clear corneal incision in correction of preexisiting astigmatism during phacoemulsification.
• Comparison of autologous fascia lata and silicon road for frontalis suspension sling in congenital ptosis.
• An OCT study of the foveal and parafoveal regions following uncomplicated and complicated phacoemulsification and its correlation with visual acuity and contrast sensitivity
• Incidence of Diabetic Retinopathy amongst patients attending Medicine OPD at SGRH in 1 year.
• To evaluate the efficacy of Toric IOLs in cataract surgery patients.
• To compare the effect of Intravitreal Bevacizumab and PRP alone in patients of proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy.
• Macular thickness changes in type 2 DM- an OCT based study

Publications

• The department has been very active in the academic field and has numerous publications and presentations in national and international conferences to its credit. The faculty has edited /authored books and contributed various chapters.

Book Edited

• Grover AK, Editor - Oculoplastic Surgery - Practical Guidelines, New Delhi, All India Ophthalmological Society, CME Series No.5; 2000
• Harbansh Lal, Anita Sethi, Editors- Manual Of Phaco Technique - A Text and Atlas, CBS Publishers, New Delhi, 2002 Examination Centre

The Department conducts the following international examinations

• FRCS (Glasgow)
• FRCS Part A and FRCS Part B Examination in Ophthalmology (The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow )
• The examinations are usually held in September/October every year, for further details you are suggested to visit their website. (www.rcpsg.ac.uk)
• International Council of Ophthalmology 
• Part A- Basic Sciences and Optics and Refraction 
• Part B- Clinical Ophthalmology
• This exam is held in March/April every year, for further details you are requested to visit the website of International Council of Ophthalmology. (www.icoph.org)

Community Services

The department has been very active in the field of Community eye care.

• It organises various Eye Camps in and around Delhi (Kirtinagar) and has been active in distant areas like Ranikhet performing hundreds of free surgeries for the poor people of the country restoring their sight.
• The surgeries done at these eye camps are done with the latest technique of phacoemulsification with Intraocular lens implant.
• The Hospital has also been included as a Referral centre for the Phase IV of The Motiya Bind Mukti Abhiyaan of the Government of Delhi.

The eye bank of the department is active in conducting public awareness programmes through posters and slogans.

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