CHENNAI: Sankara Nethralaya has set up a macular centre to provide multidisciplinary care for patients suffering from disorders of the central retina.

The clinic, which provides comprehensive services, will be equipped with the state-of-the-art equipment for diagnosis of common as well as rare macular diseases and their treatment. It will also serve as a teaching centre for postgraduates undergoing fellowship in vitreo-retinal disorders.

Primary goal

One of the primary goals will involve developing a standard examination protocol for macular disorders and a database for future research plans.

Sankara Nethralaya also expects the standardisation of investigations and management modalities at the macular centre to form the backbone of all future clinical trials.

The diagnostic facilities will include visual acuity testing, contrast sensitivity, reading speed, colour vision and optical coherence tomography.

Workshop

In connection with establishing the centre, the hospital organised a workshop on Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD) in collaboration with Novartis, on Sunday.

Over 70 ophthalmologists from Chennai, Bangalore, Mumbai and Kolkata attended the event.

The Sankara Nethralaya faculty emphasised the role of various investigative tools to detect the early stages of the disease.

Photodynamic therapy

According to Tarun Sharma, Director, Sri Bhagvan Mahavir Vitreoretinal Department, Sankara Nethralaya, the role of general ophthalmologists in early detection and treatment is important. Photodynamic therapy as a new mode of treatment of ARMD was also explained.

Intravenous injection

The therapy involves intravenous injection of a non-toxic photosensitive drug followed by its activation by a non-thermal laser to set up a photochemical reaction. New vessels formed under the macula are removed in the process without causing collateral damage to the overlying retina.

Other upcoming treatment modalities were also discussed at the workshop.

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