Why a cornea fellowship matters
General ophthalmology training produces a competent eye surgeon. A dedicated cornea fellowship adds a further, focused period spent exclusively on diseases of the cornea and ocular surface and on refractive surgery — the volume and complexity of cases that only a high-volume institute can offer. Dr. Shraddha undertook this advanced training at the LV Prasad Eye Institute following her MS at KEM Hospital.
What the fellowship covered
Corneal disease and anterior segment assessment
Systematic evaluation of corneal infections, dystrophies, degenerations and inflammatory disease — learning to read the cornea layer by layer at the slit lamp and on imaging.
Corneal transplantation
Training across transplant techniques — full-thickness penetrating keratoplasty and lamellar approaches that replace only the diseased layers, such as DALK and endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) — including donor tissue evaluation, surgical planning and long-term graft care.
Keratoconus management
Diagnosis and staging with topography and tomography, progression monitoring, corneal cross-linking, speciality contact lens strategies and transplantation for advanced disease.
Ocular surface disease
Management of complex ocular surface problems, including exposure to limbal stem cell work and limbal epithelial transplantation — the area in which Dr. Shraddha contributed to clinical research guided by Dr. Virendra Sangwan.
Laser vision correction
Refractive evaluation and laser vision correction — LASIK and surface procedures — with the cornea-specialist's insistence that eligibility is decided by corneal data, not spectacle power.