LVPEI restores kid's vision with rare surgery

Vijayawada: LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) in Vijayawada becomes the first hospital in Andhra Pradesh to dispense speciality PROSE (prosthetic replacement of ocular surface ecosystem) contact lenses to a patient as young as 3-year-old.

The achievement is one of the firsts in the country as well, LVPEI declared in a press release. It says three-year-old, Guntureddy Hethwik, fell from his bed and suffered severe damage to his right eye due to an injury from a metal rod. The child was brought to LVPEI's Kode Venkatadri Chowdary campus in Vijayawada, and on emergency basis underwent a scleral tear repair surgery. Post-surgery, it was observed that the child had significant irregular astigmatism. Which meant that the curvature of the cornea or lens of his eye was imperfect. Because of this, his vision was compromised and it would have worsened if not treated in time. As the child was very young, and to avoid the eye becoming lazy, speciality contact lenses called PROSE were tested on him. These lenses restore visual function and support healing. Larger in size compared to the regular contact lenses, they are custom made for each patient. For better comfort, visual outcome and long-term use, personalized training is provided to each patient on the use of these lenses. The specialised contact lenses hugely benefit patients having severe eye injuries where a Scleral or corneal tears happened and those having advanced corneal problems.

"The LVPEI Vijayawada facility till now has dispensed over 46 speciality lenses to patients with excellent outcomes. But this is the first time in the LVPEI network centers that these lenses were customized for a patient as young as Hethwik. The significant improvement in vision for this child is noteworthy after an injury as severe as his. With his improved vision Hethwik will now be able to live an active life like any

other child of his age," shares Dr Anasua Ganguly Kapoor, Campus Head, LVPEI, Vijayawada. In collaboration with Boston Foundation for Sight, USA, LVPEI is the only facility in India, to manufacture and also distribute these lenses to other eye care providers across the country.

The Vijawayada campus at Vijayawada, established in February 2011, is LVPEI's 3rd tertiary eye care center. True to the principles of the LVPEI, 50 percent of the services at the center are provided free of cost to the underprivileged, irrespective of the complexity of care needed, the release stated.