Address During the Laying of Foundation Stone for Dr. G. Venkataswamy Eye Research Institute, Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Complete Vision is the Mission

I am delighted to participate in the Foundation Stone laying ceremony of Dr. G. Venkataswamy Eye Research Institute. My greetings to Dr. P. Namperumalsamy, Dr. Natchiar, ophthalmologists, optometrists, medical social workers, medical technologists, students and distinguished guests participating in this function. I would like to talk to you on the topic ?Complete Vision is the Mission?. That was indeed the life time mission of Dr. G. Venkataswamy.

Lead Kindly Light

I have known Dr. Venkatasamy for over three decades. He is known for his silent contribution and bringing light to thousands of people. All his life, he has worked for total elimination of avoidable blindness. He has brought with the Aravind Eye Hospital, the best of technology and management. He has established a network of Aravind Hospitals and also the mobile clinics. He has created many leaders in the field, who are spread in various parts of the world. Whichever eye hospital I visited in India, I met a number of people, who had been trained by Dr. Venkatasamy?s institutions. It was amazing to see how even in his eighties he was radiating enthusiasm and perseverance for realizing his vision. Let me recite two verses in remembrance of Dr. Venkatasamy Avargal.

Lead Kindly Light

Oh Almighty, you gave us light,

Light to remove the utter darkness,

His was the enlightened soul,

The soul touched everyone,

Oh Almighty, lead kindly light.

Dr. G. Venkataswamy Eye Research Institute

Creation of Dr. G. Venkataswamy Eye Research Institute will be the most fitting tribute for this noble soul who had relentlessly worked for giving light to people. This institution will enable the entire eye care community to remember his services given in the form of research, team work, affordable care to the poor, introduction of a new management style, continuously updating the technology, above all building friendship among multiple nations for the cause of eye care for ensuring the success of Right to Sight programme.

Aravind Eye Hospital has been focusing on the Community Ophthalmology. Dr Venkatswamy championed the community ophthalmology service in Tamilnadu and surrounding region. This was at a time when there was tremendous amount of cataract back log, and there were not enough specialists. Using a systematic approach to mass screening and surgery he infused both science and discipline to mass surgical eye camp. The mass movement for treatment of cataract shifted from improvised operating rooms to hospital operating room facilities. Aravind has successfully integrated their core competence of community ophthalmology with modern medical treatment and research.

Research Task

I am aware of the examples, the Madurai Intra Ocular Lens (MIOL) study, the Aravind Comprehensive Eye Survey (ACES) and the recent attempts in Diabetic retinopathy. In the MIOL study, the safety and efficacy of IOL has been recommended; the study also indicates that the quality of life improves with insertion of intra ocular lens at the time of cataract surgery. The Aravind Comprehensive Eye Survey looked at the prevalence of various eye diseases, and more importantly looked at the Knowledge Attitude and Practice (KAP) of southern Tamilnadu residents to various diseases. The recent work of the Aravind Eye Hospital in mass screening of diabetic retinopathy in southern Tamilnadu is most commendable. It should spread to other parts of the country. This program apart from detecting the diabetic retinopathy patients helped in evolving the method for using modern and sophisticated treatment in community eye care. This also helped the doctors working in Aravind to think nationally and globally. It is also commendable that Aravind Eye Hospital is increasing its outreach to remote areas through tele-medicine initiatives in partnership with Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO).

Research for region specific eye-care

With this background, we should think what should be the focus of Dr. G. Venkataswamy Eye Research Institute. This institute with the clinical data available all round has to specialize in providing answers to ophthalmic and eye care needs of the people, particularly, living in hill region and island population. Above all, predicting the susceptibility to eye disease of the child before it is born has to be the research focus. The institute with the clinical data available So what is the unique thing this eye research institute could focus? In recent past the eye doctors in Aravind have reported rare variety of infections- infection due to Leptospira, and Nocardia. Fungal corneal infection is also very common. The institute is involved in designing quality eye diagnostic and treatment devices. The institute has a very large data base of millions of patients with all kinds of eye diseases. The Aravinds have a very strong community eye care program unparalleled by anyone else in the world. Based on the unique advantage may I suggest that the institute address the following research areas:

1. Genetic Research - Genetic Phenotic correlation of eye diseases like Glaucoma

2. Infection Research - Design anti bacterial Intra Ocular Lens and new anti fungal antibiotics

3. Device Research - Develop low cost high quality eye care instruments for national and international market

4. Develop country specific Electronic Medical Record for application in all eye care centers

I am sure many of the research findings can be extrapolated to other areas in the country and abroad.

Conclusion

'Complete Vision is the mission' should be the mission of the researchers of this institute. Eye problems of patients can be corrected, if diagnosed early. This must be the research focus. A closed cycle among researchers, pharmaco-technologists, doctors and nurses will enable availability of quality eye care at an affordable cost to every citizen in this region.

Emerging virtual reality and micro machines and convergence of technologies will transform the eye healthcare scenario. We also have amongst us today, the best researchers and doctors in eye care. I suggest that all of you join together and say, ?let us remove all causes of avoidable blindness? and I am sure the world will become a much more lighted and brighter place to live.

With these words, I wish the Dr. G. Venkataswamy Eye Institute all success in its mission of making this region free from eye diseases.

May God bless you.