Delhi doctors help 22-year-old Noida man with deteriorating vision see again with timely procedure

Varun Dagar a 22yearold IT professional from Noida has regained functional vision after undergoing a specialised corneal procedure by doctors in Delhis Preet Vihar areaVarun was diagnosed with advanced keratoconus in both eyes a condition that causes the cornea to become thin and irregular severely affecting vision Since glasses could no longer adequately correct his vision he underwent Corneal Allogenic Intrastromal Ring Segments CAIRS surgery along with Corneal Collagen CrossLinking C3R on his left eye The procedure performed by Dr Saumya Sharma Senior Ophthalmologist Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital Preet Vihar helped restore functional vision within 24 hoursTreating deteriorating visionFor the Delhi man his vision had been deteriorating for years He had advanced keratoconus in which the cornea gradually becomes thinner and bulges outward causing blurred and distorted vision He experienced persistent blurring frequent changes in his glasses prescription and increasing sensitivity to light and glare Everyday activities such as working on a computer reading and recognising faces from a distance had become increasingly difficult By the time he sought treatment his unaided vision in the left eye had fallen to 360 and could be corrected only to 636 even with glasses significantly affecting his ability to see clearlyVarun first consulted an ophthalmologist in Haryana where he was diagnosed with keratoconus However the treatment he required was not available locally and he was advised to seek advanced care in Delhi He eventually made his way to Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital in Preet Vihar where he came under the care of Dr Saumya SharmaDr Saumya Sharma who is a senior ophthalmologist and performed the surgery explained ldquoKeratoconus in a young patient like Varun needs to be addressed promptly as the cornea can continue to weaken and vision can deteriorate over time In advanced cases like his we may recommend CAIRS along with C3R CAIRS involves placing small rings segments made from donor corneal tissue to help flatten its conelike shape regularize the cornea and improves the way light is focused C3R is performed alongside it to strengthen the cornea and prevent further progression of the condition In Varunrsquos case we saw a significant improvement within 24 hours His unaided vision improved from 360 before surgery to 624 the next day and reached 69 with a pinhole For a young patient who was struggling significantly with his vision seeing this level of improvement so soon after the procedure was very encouragingrdquoCAIRS is among the landmark surgical innovations developed by clinicians at Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital and pioneered by Dr Amar Agarwal Chairman of Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital Keratoconus affects approximately 1 in 2000 people globally with studies suggesting a higher incidence in India The condition often runs in families and can also be triggered or worsened by habitual vigorous eye rubbing particularly in individuals with chronic allergic eye conditions It most commonly presents in young adults making early diagnosis and timely treatment critical to preserving longterm visionWhat is the CAIRS procedurePerforming CAIRS requires considerable surgical precision The procedure involves creating a precise channel within the cornea using a femtosecond laser and carefully inserting the donor corneal segment The technique requires specialised training and surgical expertise and is performed by a limited number of surgeons In Varunrsquos case the surgery on his left eye was completed in approximately 60 minutes Dr Sharma also ensured close postoperative care and support which is particularly important for a young patient undergoing treatment for a progressive condition such as keratoconusThe results have been encouraging The day after surgery Varunrsquos unaided vision in the left eye improved from 360 to 624 and to 69 with a pinhole allowing him to work on a computer read and recognise faces more clearly He returned to his office within a week of the procedure During the healing period Varun has been given postoperative instructions and advised to use his prescribed eye drops for a period of three monthsldquoI had been struggling with my vision for a long time and kept changing my glasses but nothing seemed to help I was nervous when I first heard about the surgery but Dr Sharma explained everything to me clearly and made me feel comfortable The morning after the surgery I can see much better now than I could before my surgery and I honestly couldnrsquot believe itrdquo said Dagar