Cornea & Refractive Surgery Fellowship review @ Sankara Eye Hospital, Bengaluru

Duration 2 yrs

6 months of Gen Ophthal posting+ 18 months of Cornea posting

Selection- exam + interview

Exit exam +

1 fellow taken every 6 months

Stipend 40k

They take 2 months salary of 80k as caution deposit- (40k taken in 1st month, 20k taken each in 2nd and 3rd months)- this is returned at the end of fellowship 

At the start, you are assigned a senior consultant as mentor (can be from any speciality dept) who trains you one-on-one in SICS and phaco and also in managing complications.

They start you on SICS after 1st month while in Gen Ophthal, you get an average of 1000+ SICS over 2 years.

While doing SICS, you are also given advanced cataract cases (PXF, small pupil, mature cataract etc) and gradually taught to manage your own complications (put CTR, iris hooks, iris claws, do ant vitrectomy etc) 

Phaco cases are given in last 6 months, can expect 70-80 cases (some cross 100).

No topical phacos given.

Cornea surgeries-

You get TPKs, opticals (some 30-35 cases)

Also ocular surface procedures like SLET, MMG, AMG etc

Lamellar procedure hands-on depends on whether pts are there when you are posted- mostly get few DSEKs; DMEK and DALK are rare

Refractive procedures- 

In last 6 months, you are given refractive OTs 

You get only PRKs (3-4 independent cases, otherwise mostly steps) 

Lasik not given 

SMILE not done here (no machine)

Timings 8-6 pm

On call- you have 2-3 rotations of weekly call in the first 6 months.. and it's literally for 1 whole week (Sun- Sat).. you start Sunday duty at 8 pm do till 8am Monday then off for the day to come back again at 8pm Monday to do call till 8 am Tuesday and so on.. till Saturday.

As cornea fellow, you are on call for the dept every day.. may be called by DNBs for any c/o redness that comes at night.

Sunday OP duties (8-1), Sunday camp duties+