VELLORE: The Centre for Advanced Technology (CAT), Indore, has developed an indigenous laser photo-coagulator to facilitate cost-effective treatment of diabetic retinopathy.

The first prototype unit of country's first green laser photo-coagulator for treatment of diabetic retinopathy (DR)was delivered in September 2005 to M/s Aurolab (an adjunct of Aravind Eye Hospital, Madurai) for clinical trials, according to V.C. Sahni, Director of CAT.

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by prolonged diabetes leading to the development of excess fragile blood vessels in the retina, which can rupture and bleed and subsequently cause blindness.

Only reliable treatment

Controlled coagulation of such blood vessels is the only reliable treatment for diabetic retinopathy and use of laser photo-coagulator is very effective. But it is not easily accessible due to high cost of the imported equipment.

After trials with the prototype, a second one will be built before doing the technology transfer. "We should be able to bring down the cost by one-third, and we will do the technology transfer on a non-inclusive basis," said Dr. Sahni.

He was speaking at the inaugural of the four-day Fifth Department of Atomic Energy-Board of Research in Nuclear Sciences (DAE-BRNS) National Laser Symposium (NLS-5) at the Vellore Institute of Technology here on Wednesday.

Dr. Sahni said a team from CAT has been engaged for many years in laser-based research and development for biomedical imaging, micromanipulation at cellular and sub-cellular level, cancer diagnosis and photo-therapy.

The studies have also enabled the team to reliably discriminate between malignant and non-malignant tissues.

A laser-based land levelling system was built by CAT at the behest of the Ministry of Agriculture.

G. Viswanathan, Chancellor of VIT, requested Dr. Sahni to enable the VIT set up a laser centre. P. Radhakrishnan, Vice-Chancellor, said the Department of Mechanical Engineering is already developing a Rapid Prototype Technology, using laser, in association with the Centre for Manufacturing Research Institute, Bangalore.

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