KAKINADA: For the first time in Andhra Pradesh, Sankurathri Foundation, a service organisation, has introduced teleophthalmology in eye care in Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari. This facility helps the people who live in distant places get quality eye care by interacting with specialists at the foundation's ophthalmology institutes in the district.
The Foundation runs Srikiran Ophthalmology Institute at Penumarthi village in Kakinada rural mandal with 11 branches at Bhanugudi and Jagannaickpur at Kakinada, Draksharama, Mummidivaram, Mandapet, Peddapuram and Tuni in East Godavari, Juvvalapalem in West Godavari District and Narsipatnam in Visakhapatnam. “Ophthalmology experts would give treatment from Kakinada and people need not come to the city for eye care. They can get quality treatment near the branches from their villages,” said, the chairman of Sankurathri Foundation.
With the advent of indigenous and innovate products like portable and easy to use non-mydriatic fundus imaging systems and other simple mobile attachments for imaging connectivity and skills, experts can provide high quality eye care at the doorsteps of the people in rural and tribal areas wherever there is connectivity. Inaugurating the Tele-Ophthalmology and renovated city centre with a state-of-the- art operation theatre at Bhanugudi here on Friday, eminent ophthalmologist Dr. Venkatesh Prajna (Madhurai) said that the institute was a leading centre for transplants in the state by performing 600 corneal transplants under the guidance of Dr Madhu. Dr Avinash Mahindrakar, the Medical Director of the institute, said that Tele-Ophthalmology would be of use to many rural patients in a big way.
