The centre for pinhole pupilloplasty was launched by CM C. Joseph Vijay at Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, Chennai, on Thursday
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Thursday, (August 27, 2026) inaugurated a pinhole pupilloplasty centre at Dr. Agarwals Eye Hospital, Chennai.
The centre will focus on pinhole pupilloplasty (PPP), a microsurgical technique developed by Amar Agarwal, chairman of Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospitals, designed to improve the quality of vision in patients with conditions such as corneal scars, irregular corneas, high corneal aberrations, and certain post-surgical optical distortions.
Dr. Agarwal said, “Two to five crore people are estimated to be waiting for donor corneas every year in the world. Donor corneas are simply not available in sufficient numbers, even in India. The second major challenge is rejection. Patients who undergo a corneal transplant also need medication for the rest of their lives. Today, we have a technique called PPP. Instead of removing the scar, we bypass it by creating a small pinhole in a clear part of the cornea, allowing light to enter the eye.”
The smaller aperture helps block scattered and distorted light rays and allows better-focused rays to reach the retina. This pinhole effect can reduce the impact of higher-order optical aberrations and thereby improve functional vision and visual quality.
He said that the technique is now being performed in the United States, Russia, Europe, and parts of India. “That is why we felt the need to establish this Pinhole Pupilloplasty Centre, so that more patients can benefit from the technique, while doctors from across the world can be trained and more specialists can be brought into the system,” he added.
Manoj Khatri, Director, Vitreo-Retinal Services; Athiya Agarwal, Director; Adil Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer; and S. Soundari, Regional Head of Clinical Services, were present.
Published – August 27, 2026 04:01 pm IST
