Prof.Michael Bluementhal, a leading ophthalmologist from Israel and considered to be the 'Father of Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS)', imparted training in this method to over 150 ophthalmic specialists in Tamilnadu.

While participating in an interactive session with the doctors as part of the inauguration of the Chennai Eye Foundation, a new ophthalmic hospital at Saidapet in the city, he said the new method is cost-effective when compared to similar procedures and is gaining popularity worldwide.

Downsizing the incision size in cataract surgery has become a modern practice. Smaller incision helps quick rehabilitation and better postoperative vision. Now 'Phacomulsification' is a preferred technique worldwide, though expensive.

Many of the Indian hospitals and clinics cannot adopt this method as the cost of phaco machines run into several lakh of rupees. The concept of SICS can provide most of the advantages the Phacomulsification technique can provide, and the significant achievement is its cost-effectiveness, said the expert from Tel Aviv.

He also gave a live surgical demonstration of the SICS procedure before the ophthalmologists who were invited from different parts of the state, and answered their queries.

According to Dr.Premraj and Dr.Prema, promoters of Chennai Eye Foundation, the hospital would serve the poor and needy. They noted that the number of people requiring cataract surgery in India is more than the total population of Australia as there are 9-12 million blinds in India, of which half are affected with cataract.