Dr Ashok Sharma Gets Excellence Award for Cornea Research

 Dr Ashok Sharma Gets Excellence Award for Cornea Research

Chandigarh, Nov 11, 2009, Specttrumn News : American Academy of Ophthalmology has felicitated City based renowned corneal surgeon and director, Chandigarh Cornea Centre, Dr Ashok Sharma for his distinguished services in the field of cornea research. The award was given to him at the recently concluded international conference of the academy in San Francisco, USA.

It was the most prestigious and widely attended international conference, attended by over 25,000 eye surgeons from all over the world. Dr Ashok Sharma presented two research papers on ‘Autolimbal stem cell transplants in chemical injuries’ and ‘Voriconazole in resistant kerotomycosis’. His research on autolimbal stem cell is going to benefit those who are blind due to chemical injuries or due to other ocular surface disorders.

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In the recent years limbal stem cell transplant have revolutionized the treatment of chemical injuries, Stevens Johnson syndrome and dry eye. Dr Sharma is the first corneal surgeon to establish cultured limbal stem cell transplants in this region. His research on the use of voriconazole (drops, intracorneal injection and oral) has revealed that it is safe and effective in treatment of resistant mycotic keratitis. The use of Voriconazole will benefit patients who suffer from resistant fungal corneal ulcers, another important cause of blindness.

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Previously, Dr Sharma was associate professor in the eye department of PGI Chandigarh. Now he provides tertiary cornea service to the needy patients at the Chandigarh Cornea Centre at Sector 22A and is fully devoted to the cornea research. He has been attending and contributing valuable research papers at the American Academy of Ophthalmology for the last many years.

Dr Ashok Sharma has experience of more than 20 years after post graduation. He has worked as a faculty member, Associate Professor, in a Premier Postgraduate Institute. His areas of interest include cornea, external diseases, refractive surgery and eye banking. He has been awarded cornea fellowships at Eye Consultants of Maryland USA and at LV Prasad Eye Institute, Hyderabad, India. He was founder Hon Secretary of Eye Bank Society Chandigarh. He has performed maximum number of corneal grafts in Chandigarh. He has published 82 papers and  presented 112 papers in National and International Conferences.

Let your eyes live another life : Dr Ashok Sharma

Let your eyes live another life : Dr Ashok Sharma

Mahabodhi-Ladakh supports the cause of Eye Donation

Chandigarh, 27 August, 2012, Specttrum News: Blindness is the worst tragedy human beings may suffer. It is unfortunate but one has to bear the sea of darkness. One may be surprised to know that out of world’s total 4 crore blind population, one third reside in India alone. Corneal blindness accounts for 25% of total 1.5 crore blinds in our country. Infections, injuries, malnutrition, degenerations and dystrophies are important causes of corneal blindness. Cause may be any, but remedy is simple and that is corneal grafting. This was stated by renowned Cornea specialist Dr Ashok Sharma at Chandigarh Press Club here today, while launching the Eye Donation Campaign.

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Dr Ashok Sharma, Director, Cornea Centre & City Eye Bank, Sector 22, Chandigarh, said, “In corneal grafting the central part of the opaque cornea, what we call “phola“ in the local language, is removed and replaced with similar circular disc obtained from the healthy donor eye. India needs 2 lakh donor eyes per year to take care of corneal blinds in our country. We are able to collect 25,000 donor eyes per year. It is disheartening that compared to other zones, number of eye donations in North India  are less. Even if 1% people of total deaths donate eyes we can get sufficient donor eyes.” 

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The cause is being supported by Mahabodhi International Meditation Centre (MIMC), Leh-Ladakh. The students of MIMC Girls Hostel, displaying placards with slogans of ‘Donate Eyes’, expressed their support for this noble cause. Buddhist Monk and founder president of MIMC, Venerable Bhikkhu Sanghasena, in his message said, “Blindness due to corneal diseases assumes more significance as it affects the young population in developing countries. This deprives them off the educational and vocational opportunities. I appeal all the people to pledge their eyes. I am happy to know that Cornea Centre has been doing commendable job in eradicating corneal blindness.”

Col. (Retd) Vijay S Jamwal, Executive President, MIMC Chandigarh Branch, said, “Our Leh campus has a hostel for visually handicapped children, which was inaugurated by the then President of India, Dr Abdul Kalam. Eye donation is a noble cause and all of us must pledge our eyes, so that more and more blind people can see the light of the day.”

Dr Ashok Sharma, former Associate Professor of PGI Chandigarh, has been performing corneal grafting for more than 25 years. He has been able to restore eyesight to more than 2500 blind individuals through corneal grafting. He advised that one must keep eyes and hands clean to avoid eyes related disease. Eye donation fortnight is observed every year from 25 August to 8 September to create awareness.