First Inflatable Orbital Implant surgery in India performed at L V Prasad Eye Institute

HYDERABAD, India - Aug. 5, 2014 - PRLog -- Hyderabad, July 05, 2014: L V Prasad Eye Institute has pioneered the implantation of Inflatable Orbital Tissue Expander for the first time in India. The new development promises to bring smiles to many patients suffering from Congenital Anophthalmia. This problem has been haunting patients with grossly visible asymmetric facial bone growth, leading to a significant cosmetic deformity in adult life. Though an artificial eye can be placed, there was no treatment available till date to stimulate the bony growth in the most natural manner.

Speaking on the surgery, Dr Tarjani Dave, Consultant, Socket Services and Ocularistry, Department of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery, L V Prasad Eye institute said, “Treating this child with unilateral congenital anophthalmia and bony socket contracture with Orbital Tissue Expander was a major achievement for us at L V Prasad Eye Institute. Anophthalmic socket is a challenge to treat. The premise of implanting an Orbital Tissue Expander is that you take care of the socket contracture before "bone amblyopia”, in order to effectively expand the socket. Hence these interventions are best done in infancy. This mimicks natural growth of an eyeball, thereby allowing adequate and symmetrical bone growth.”

Congratulating the team, Dr Gullapalli N Rao, Founder and Chair, L V Prasad Eye Institute said, “We look forward to many path breaking achievements at the Institute.  Let’s hope this case will be a yet another stepping stone to many successes in the future.”

Designed by the doctors in Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, this special implant is fixed to one of the bony walls with special plate and screws. The ‘ball’ component stays in the natural position of the absent eyeball, and can be gradually inflated with saline injections at regular intervals, similar to inflating a balloon. With this new development, those afflicted with congenital anophthalmia can have symmetrical bony facial growth and will be able to lead a normal life.

Congenital anophthalmia, is a case where the eyeball is absent since birth, which gives rise to gross under-development of facial bones around the eye. L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) has collaboration Bascom Palmer Eye Institute for the treatment of babies with congenital anophthalmia. LVPEI has dedicated services for anophthalmic socket with the entire specturm of treatment being offered to patients. Equipped with an excellent prosthesis lab with world class machinery for making prosthetic eyes, the Institute has a dedicated anophthalmia clinic run for such patients on Mondays.

About L V Prasad Eye Institute

The L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) was established in 1986-87 at Hyderabad as a not-for-profit, non-government, public-spirited, comprehensive eye care institution. LVPEI is governed by two trusts: the Hyderabad Eye Institute and the Hyderabad Eye Research Foundation. The Institute is a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Prevention of Blindness and a Global Resource Center for VISION 2020: The Right to Sight initiative. LVPEI has six active arms to its areas of operations namely Clinical Services, Education, Research, Rehabilitation and Sight Enhancement Services, Eye Bank, and Public Health and Rural Outreach.  For more information, visit www.lvpei.org

For further information, please contact:

Dr Sreedevi Yadavalli

Associate Director and Head – Communications

Tel: +91 040 23547254, +91 040 30612555

Email: ysreedevi@lvpei.org