In its endeavor to equip the country with the latest breakthrough innovations and developments in the field of eye care, Bausch & Lomb (B&L), the world's leading eye health company & Shekar Nethralaya, one of Bangalore's leading super-specialty eye hospital, has now introduced Stellaris-Micro Incision Cataract Surgery (S-MICS) for the first time in Karnataka.

Being one of the most advanced and leading eye care centres in Karnataka, Shekar Nethralaya was the first to introduce Phaco Emulsification Cataract Surgery & Lasik Surgery in Karnataka. The hospital has now grown into an ISO 9001:2000 super-specialty institution, serving local, national and international patients with consistent distinction. With superior technologies, superlative specialist support and excellent grasp of patient care processes, Shekar Nethralaya presents a matchless hospital environment, and its brilliant patient outcomes have rendered it into a key referral node in the ophthalmic care community today.

Dr Y.L Rajashekar, founder, Shekar Nethralaya, successfully implanted a MIL (micro-incision lens) through the S-MICS Technology on a 95-year-old patient. This was so far the oldest patient who underwent a Stellaris - Micro Incision Cataract Surgery.

Highlighting the benefits of the procedure, Dr Rajashekar said that the revolutionary technology(S-MICS) re-enforces the fact that cataract surgery is extremely safe, painless, speedy and completely accurate. "With this breakthrough innovation by Bausch & Lomb has transported the cataract arena in India to an entirely new level", he said.

According to Gaurav Malhotra, managing director, surgical business, Bausch & Lomb the S-MICS Platform is the smallest incision surgery ever that has enabled the reduction of the incision size from 3.2-3.4mm to 1.6-1.8mm thereby notably reducing surgical time and increased pace of patient recovery. Moreover, the minimal incision size enables better restoration of patient's original vision and image clarity.

Further, the AKREOS AO Micro Incision Lens used during the surgery is customised to go through an incision size of 1.6-1.8mm. The lens offers the patient clearer vision across varying light conditions and contrast situations. It is designed to give maximum quality of vision and reduce the rate of cataract to bare minimum.

Bausch & Lomb was awarded the 2008 Health Achievement Award for the development of Stellaris, the device which beats its nearest competitor devices by a millimeter of incision size, which in the world of micro-surgery is better than a mile. The AKREOS AO Micro Incision Lens has been awarded the "GOLD Award" for design excellence. The lens has a very unique feature unlike other micro incisions lenses, which over years "wrinkle" inside the eye as it is unable to withstand the capsular stress.

Bausch & Lomb with a current turnover of $2.2 billion employs around 11,500 people worldwide and its products are available in more than 100 countries. Shekar Nethralaya is a super-specialty eye hospital founded in 1999 by Dr Y L Rajashekar.