Coveted qualification

Dr Cyres Mehta’s research in early detection of glaucoma using OCT (optical coherence tomography) won him the first prize in the Mch ophthalmology certification program exam conducted by the University of Seychelles’ American Institute of Medicine (USAIM). The certification is available to practicing surgeons with clinical experience and Mehta is reportedly one of the few from India invited to appear for the exam and submit research into eye disease. He received his prize in Poona on November 23, 2011, the only surgeon from Bombay to be awarded this fellowship, as per an e-mail received from him.
For years the Mch has been a coveted qualification for orthopedic surgeons, states the write-up. Recently it has been made available for eye surgeons as well and is recognized in the Seychelles and the Middle East, reported Ravi, the director operations of USAIM for India. Mehta’s research dwells on the fact that thousands of people worldwide lose their vision due to glaucoma. If caught early the disease is treatable to a large extent. When medicines do not work, new laser and surgical options like canaloplasty have proved extremely efficient. However, the key to successful treatment remains early detection.

Dr Cyres Mehta (l) receiving prize from Dr Aditya Kelkar, scientific head of Mch

According to Mehta, the new OCT machines are able to detect possible cases of glaucoma three years earlier than while using traditional methods, sometimes before the patient is aware of any decrease in vision. Glaucoma often occurs along with cataract and the loss of vision is wrongly attributed to clouding of the cataract, leaving the glaucoma neglected.
Earlier, Mehta was awarded a gold medal by the International Society of Glaucoma Surgeons, Switzerland for work on new glaucoma surgery called non penetration deep sclerectomy, in 2005 at Cairo, Egypt, notes the e-mail which states that Mehta pioneered this surgery in India way back in 2001 and since 2010 has been performing canaloplasty glaucoma surgery as well. Mehta has been surgical director of the International Eye Centre, opposite Strand Cinema, Bombay since 2008.