Revolutionary Appratus For Retinal Diseases

Bangalore, : Pascal Photocoagulator, a state of the art revolutionary apparatus, used in the treatment of retinal diseases was installed in presence of eye experts from overseas at Narayana Nethralaya here today.

Disclosing this to newsmen at a news conference Hospital Chairman K Bhujanga Shetty said the new equipment, consisting around Rs 50 lakhs, was an advanced laser system, a pattern scan laser, which targetted a wider area of retina than conventional photocoagulators.

It reduced the number of sitting for patients thereby avoiding inconvenience to them. Patients could face less discomfort and pain and could get treated in just one sitting and would be less prone to burn and injury, he explained, adding that the cost of treatment would be increased by 30 per cent from the traditional procedure.

Replying to queries he said the new apparatus could target as many as 56 spots in one go as against just one spot in conventional equipment.

People affected by diabetics, which affected over 30 million people in India, were 25 times more prone than normal people with blindness, he said.

He said Narayana Nethralaya was the first hospital in the state and third in the country to install such a machine. The apparatus was dedicated to the hospital by Dr Rory King, a Vitreo Retinal Specialist and Medical Director of the Advanced Vision Laser Centre based in Makati City, Philippines, in presence of Retina Surgeons from Singapore and California.