Aravind Eye Care System and Alcon Open Global Training Center for Retinal Surgery
The Aravind Eye Care System and Alcon have inaugurated a new global center for vitreoretinal surgery training in Coimbatore, India. The center aims to enhance access to advanced eye care and train new ophthalmologists.
Aravind Eye Care System and Alcon, a global leader in eye care, have announced the opening of the 'Aravind Alcon Global Centre of Excellence (CoE)' for vitreoretinal surgery training in Coimbatore, India. This new facility represents the second phase of the partnership between Aravind and Alcon, aiming to address a significant gap in global eye care: access to advanced training in retinal medicine.
The center is established to combat the shortage of trained specialists in retinal diseases, a critical issue particularly in regions such as Africa, Latin America, and parts of Asia. The facility combines hands-on surgical training with scalable virtual educational offerings, focusing on practical surgical skills and long-term capacity building. Equipped with a state-of-the-art wet lab for vitreoretinal training, the center expects to train approximately 60 participants annually, with plans to expand its reach through virtual fellowship programs.
Raj Narayanan, Senior Vice President and President International at Alcon, highlighted the importance of the collaboration. "For over two decades, Alcon and Aravind have partnered to advance surgical training and strengthen eye care globally," Narayanan stated. "The inauguration of this new global centre of excellence for retinal diseases marks a significant step in our shared commitment to fostering the next generation of eye care professionals through world-class training and capability building."
Dr. Narendran, Medical Director at Aravind Eye Care Hospital in Coimbatore, emphasized the center's role in India. "We are proud that Aravind Eye Hospital in Coimbatore is now home to India’s first global centre of excellence for retinal diseases," Dr. Narendran said. "This comes at a critical time as retinal diseases are an increasingly common cause of vision loss in India and globally, and the demand for skilled retinal surgeons continues to rise."
The initiative aims to enhance surgical capabilities and improve access to retinal care in underserved regions. By integrating practical training with virtual learning, the center intends to build sustainable healthcare capacity and contribute to better patient outcomes worldwide.