• The three-day event in Bengaluru was conducted in collaboration with the Karnataka Ophthalmology Society (KOS) and the Bangalore Ophthalmology Society (BOS)
• The 9^th edition of the event saw participation from well-known experts from across the globe

Nethradhama Super Speciality Eye Hospitals, a pioneering institution in eye care, conducted one of the world’s foremost conferences on ophthalmology, Phaco Festival 2024, in Bengaluru. The three-day event was conducted in collaboration with the Karnataka Ophthalmology Society (KOS) and Bangalore Ophthalmology Society (BOS). The conference, held at the Ritz Carlton from January 12th to 14th, 2024, saw the launch of new-age ophthalmology technologies and products by technology leaders in this sector. The conference focused on the theme of “Ophthalmic Digitalization & Workflow Efficiency” was inaugurated by Mr. BV Jagadeesh, a respected tech genius, entrepreneur, and philanthropist.  More than 70 international and national faculty members, and around 1000 ophthalmologists from across India and foreign countries were a part of this event.

While commenting on the success of the event, Dr. Sri Ganesh, Founder and CMD, Nethradhama Super Speciality Eye Hospital, and the Organizing Chairman of the Phaco Festival, said, “The Phaco festival is not just an event, but it is a culmination of collective knowledge, shared experiences and exchange of ideas that will undoubtedly contribute to the growth and enhancement of eye care. We aim to explore innovative approaches, cutting-edge technologies and best practices of Ophthalmology. I am thrilled to see the excitement of delegates since the speakers have arrived from different parts of the globe and are all maestros of their respective specialties. I am sure that the insightful lectures, live surgeries, and masterclasses have indeed helped enrich the skills of Ophthalmologists who attended the sessions from across the country.”

The Phaco Festival 2024 featured two distinguished lectures, the Gold Medal Lecture by Dr. Ronald Yeoh and ‘The Myth & Reality of AI in Ophthalmology’ by Dr. Milind Pande. Both Dr. Ronald Yeoh and Dr. Milind Pande were felicitated at the event for winning the Gold Medal and Dr. K R Murthy Oration Award, respectively. The conference provided a premium ophthalmic upskilling experience to the attendees, featuring more than twenty 3D Live Surgeries, Wetlabs, Drylabs, Masterclasses, skill transfer courses and Ophthalmic games.

“The plethora of live surgeries showed at the conference evoked a mixture of curiosity and satisfaction of job well done. The festival has been created out of the belief that it is the experts’ responsibility to demystify the world of ophthalmic digitalization and workflow efficiency. It has been conceptualized and designed not just by the minds, but also by the hearts,” Dr. Sri Ganesh added.

Dr. Supriya Sri Ganesh, Executive Director, Nethradhama Super Speciality Eye Hospital, said, “It is truly rewarding to witness the positive impact of the conference on the Ophthalmology community. The focus on Ophthalmic Digitalization & Workflow Efficiency is crucial for the advancement in the field of Ophthalmology, and this conference has indeed played a pivotal role in driving that conversation forward. The international faculty, all the way from the USA, UK, Singapore, Taiwan, and Argentina, brought a diverse perspective to the discussions and learnings. We are proud to be the pioneers in bringing new-age ophthalmic technologies to India. By facilitating the launches of advanced technologies and products, we are sure to bring notable changes to the ophthalmology landscape of our country. We extend our thanks to our esteemed partners for coming up with innovative solutions for better patient outcomes in eye care.”

The event saw the launch of innovative technologies that would further the course of treatment in the ophthalmology ecosystem. It includes EVO Viva- Presbyopic Implantable Collamer® Lens by Staar, Femtis M Plus – Super Premium Laser Lens by Teleon, iStent inject W – by Glaukos, Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery by CAPSULaser, and a state of the art Surgery Optimizer by ZEISS.

Cutting edge technologies launched at the event:

The iStent inject® W is the gold standard in micro-invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). It creates two patent bypass pathways through the trabecular meshwork. This results in multi-directional flow through Schlemm’s canal, offering accurate results in a truly micro-invasive approach. The advantages of iStent W, including its micro-invasiveness, astigmatically neutral nature, and preservation of natural anatomy, position it as an innovative solution in glaucoma management.

Another revolutionary launch at the event was of EVO Viva ICL which is an Implantable Collamer® Lens (ICL), addressing the challenges posed by presbyopia. Made from top-tier materials, this adaptable lens provides an alternative for enhancing vision across near, intermediate, and far distances, presenting the advantages of glasses and contact lenses without inconveniences. The benefits of this include enhanced vision at all distances, the preservation of the eye’s integrity through an additive and reversible lens implant, and built-in UV protection.

The ZEISS Surgery Optimizer was another pivotal innovation launched during the Phaco festival. The device is designed to empower ophthalmic surgeons with advanced analytics and video review capabilities, while conducting eye surgeries. Designed by German manufacturers Carl Zeiss, the device is a game changer in the realm of ophthalmic surgeries. Alongside the Surgery Optimizer, ZEISS also presented its integrated workflow solutions during the international conference. The technology is designed to streamline the process from diagnosis to treatment in ophthalmology, ensuring a seamless, efficient, and patient-centric experience.

Femtis M Plus – Super Premium Laser Lens was the other innovative product launched at the event.  Besides the known advantages, like the decrease in effective phaco time and the ability to correct corneal astigmatism with arcuate incisions done in the same procedure, the perfectness of the capsulotomy is another key advantage of the technology as the manual capsulorrhexis is not always circular and, occasionally, can be smaller or larger than the IOL optic, thereby compromising long-term IOL stability. The femtosecond laser can also help to optimize IOL function in other ways.

The other technology launched at the event, Capulaser is a Quantum Dot Solid-State Laser with Continuous-wave duty cycle. The wavelength of the laser is 590 nm with Orange colour, which is safe for human eyes. Capulaser is made for all complex cases like mature, Intumescent, fibrosis with adjacent to the anterior lens capsule, Subluxate cataract etc. The laser treatment time with this technology is just 0.3 sec.