The International Society of Small Incision Cataract Surgeons (ISMSICS) has named Dr. M.S. Ravindra as the first recipient of the Dr. Jatin Shah Award for Excellence in Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (MSICS). The award was presented in a ceremony to Dr. Ravindra as part of the Comprehensive Cataract Conference 2017 (CCC 2017) in Chennai, India.
The ISMSICS presented this award for Excellence in MSICS in memory of the late Dr. Jatin Shah (1954-2015), in recognition of his tireless efforts as an eye surgeon and in honor of his legacy training the next generation of cataract specialists. Dr. Jatin Shah dedicated his life to restoring sight, working with numerous NGOs and philanthropic groups, most recently having served as HelpMeSee’s Medical Officer for Asia. He leaves a legacy as an expert of excellence in MSICS and advocacy to save sight.
Through his work over the last 35 years, Dr. M. S. Ravindra has become a leading ophthalmologist and medical researcher, developing innovative surgical techniques using the latest advanced technology. As chairman and medical director of Karthik Netralaya specialty eye hospital, Dr. Ravindra’s team has provided quality micro-surgical treatments serving countless people suffering from blindness and visual impairment. He has trained many ophthalmologists in modern techniques and has helped advocate training for affordable surgical treatment for cataracts across south Asia.
Dr. Amulya Sahu, chairman and co-founder of ISMSICS said:
“We are honored to present an eye surgeon of Dr. Ravindra’s caliber with the first Excellence in MSICS award. Like the late Dr. Jatin Shah, he has dedicated his career to make safe, quality treatment available to even the neediest populations. As a scientific advisor to ISMSICS, he has helped promote innovative treatment options for cataracts, and we thank him for his lifelong commitment to restoring sight.”
Dr. Van Charles Lansingh, HelpMeSee’s Chief Medical Officer said:
“We congratulate Dr. Ravindra on this recognition, and thank him for his many contributions advancing cataract treatment. HelpMeSee and ISMSICS are engaged to help promote MSICS as a safe, scalable, high-quality, cost-efficient procedure to reduce the burden of cataract blindness worldwide.”
ABOUT ISMSICS
The International Society of Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgeons (ISMSICS) is an organization to promote excellence and accessibility in cataract surgery. The organization aims to improve outcomes of cataract surgery while providing better vision to patients at an affordable cost. The organization is surgeon focused and surgeon driven- of, for and by cataract surgeons. ISMSICS is dedicated to research and development in the field of cataract surgery, especially manual small incision cataract surgery, to make cataract surgery more accessible, affordable and give patients the best of vision.
About HelpMeSee
HelpMeSee is a non-profit organization committed to ending the global health crisis of cataract blindness. Through a focus on simulation-based training for cataract specialists, HelpMeSee has developed sustainable solutions to increase access to safe, affordable surgical treatment. HelpMeSee’s goal is to improve quality and expand access to cataract care, including a network of thousands of trained cataract specialists across the developing world.
