Ophthalmologists from across India gathered for the 11th annual Surgical Strike 360, a two-day conference organised by Rajan Eye Care in collaboration with the Young Ophthalmologists Society of India (YOSI). The meeting brought together practising surgeons and young specialists to exchange techniques, review complex cases and recognise contributions to the field.
Indian ophthalmology conference showcases deferred live surgeries
The conference opened on Saturday with an address by T.S. Surendran, chairman of Sankara Nethralaya, alongside Diva Kant Misra, president of YOSI; Sujatha Mohan, executive medical director of Rajan Eye Care; and Mohan Rajan, chairman and medical director of Rajan Eye Care. Organisers adapted this year’s programme after the National Medical Commission placed restrictions on live operating-room broadcasts, replacing them with deferred live surgeries presented in a near-to-live format.
“This year’s Surgical Strike is slightly different because we are unable to do live surgeries due to regulations by the National Medical Commission,” Dr Rajan said. “Instead, we are showing deferred live surgeries which are equally, if not more, interesting.” Delegates said the near-to-live presentations allowed for more detailed commentary and step-by-step discussion, which enhanced the educational value for trainees and experienced surgeons alike.
Speakers praised the organisers for maintaining the conference’s practical focus. Dr Surendran offered his congratulations to the team for staging a substantive programme under the new constraints and for sustaining opportunities for hands-on learning through recorded operations.
A number of honours were presented during the event. Opthalmologist V.M. Sankaran received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his long service to the specialty. A Namakkal-based practitioner, Ranganathan, was commended for creating an innovative daily calendar that doubles as a myopia-screening chart. The calendar has been distributed in schools across Namakkal, Salem and neighbouring districts, helping to identify children who may need further assessment.
The conference covered a broad range of subspecialties, reflecting the scope of contemporary ophthalmic practice. Sessions featured topics in cataract and refractive surgery, secondary intraocular lens implantation, glaucoma management, vitreoretinal procedures, corneal care, oculoplasty, strabismus surgery and intravitreal injections. Each session combined case presentations with detailed surgical footage and moderated question-and-answer segments.
Delegates said the format encouraged richer discussion than is often possible during live operations because speakers were able to pause, annotate and highlight critical steps. Young ophthalmologists noted that the event offered a rare chance to compare techniques from multiple centres and to learn pragmatic approaches to common complications.
Organisers indicated plans to continue blending recorded surgical demonstrations with interactive teaching in future editions, pending any changes in regulatory guidance. For now, Surgical Strike 360 has shown how conferences can adapt to regulatory limits while preserving educational standards and celebrating clinical innovation within the Indian ophthalmic community.
Key Takeaways:
- Rajan Eye Care and YOSI hosted the 11th Surgical Strike 360, featuring deferred live surgeries due to NMC rules.
- Lifetime Achievement Award presented to V.M. Sankaran; Ranganathan honoured for a myopia-screening calendar distributed in schools.
- Conference covered multiple subspecialties including cataract, glaucoma, vitreoretina and cornea.
- Speakers said deferred live surgeries provided valuable learning despite restrictions on live operations.
