In a country where the shortage of donor corneas often stands between a patient and restored vision, an innovative eye surgery developed in India is offering new hope.
Known as Pinhole Pupilloplasty (PPP), the technique is changing the way ophthalmologists treat patients with severe corneal conditions, without the need for corneal transplants or lengthy recovery periods.
Corneal transplants are required when the cornea, the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye, becomes damaged or diseased to the point where it affects vision or causes pain.
Injuries from trauma, infections (like herpes simplex or fungal keratitis), keratoconus etc., would need corneal transplants.
Pioneered by Dr. Amar Agarwal, Chairman of Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, this groundbreaking procedure has not only found takers across India but is also gaining recognition on the global stage.
In fact, the eye surgery earned Dr. Agarwal an international award at the ASCRS Film Festival in Los Angeles.
The technique, now widely practiced in several countries, has been credited with restoring sight where traditional methods fall short.
“Some patients have very high astigmatism that cannot be corrected with usual methods, and toric intraocular lenses only work up to a certain level. This gave me the idea to create a pinhole effect in the pupil itself, which led to the first Pinhole Pupilloplasty,” Dr. Agarwal told IndiaToday.in.
In traditional cases of corneal scarring, eye doctors often recommend a corneal transplant – a procedure that relies heavily on donor tissue, involves a long healing period, and carries the risk of graft rejection. The pinhole pupilloplasty method uses stitches to change the shape of the pupil without needing a donor cornea, and patients recover much faster compared to traditional surgery. The principle is simple: by reducing the size of the pupil to about 1-1.5 mm, similar to the tip of a pin, incoming light is focused more effectively onto the retina, bypassing irregularities in the cornea.
The result? Sharper vision with reduced glare, especially for patients with complex eye issues like corneal scars, keratoconus, or radial keratotomy complications. Source: India Today
No transplant, no stitches: The eye surgery giving patients a second chance at sight
