Chennai: The ninth edition of RETICON, India’s biggest annual conference on retina surgery organised by Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals, was inaugurated by Tamilnadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit in Chennai Sunday.
RETICON is dedicated to vitreo retinal specialists and fellows who have special interest in acquiring an update on the latest surgical techniques. The event was attended by more than 600 specialists in retinal surgery.
Speaking during the inauguration of the conference, the Governor said, “That the conference is being held in Chennai, which is the hub for medical tourism in the country, is a matter of satisfaction to all of us. Eye is one of the most complex organs of the human body about which a lot of studies have already been undertaken. With the growth of economic prosperity and technology it is also one of the foremost of the sensory organs about which lot of discoveries will be made.”
“The population of blind in India is estimated to rise by 1.25 crore by 2020 and it is important that the number of eye doctors in the country increases. The doctors need to attract the younger ones to take up the profession,” added Purohit.
There are only about 15,000 ophthalmologists in India who are registered with the All India Ophthalmic Society which gives a ratio of about 1 ophthalmologist for about a lakh of people.
Other dignitaries at the event were Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals chairman, Dr Amar Agarwal, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals director, Dr Athiya Agarwal, Professor of Ophthalmology, USA, Sunir Garg, and chairman, scientific committee, All India Ophthalmological society, New Delhi, Dr Lalit Verma.
During the conference, panel discussions were conducted and surgeries being conducted at Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals, such as macular hole surgery, diabetic retinopathy, and IOL drop were live streamed.