Department of Ophthalmology, Government Medical College Akola
Introduction

Department of Ophthalmology was incorporated in Government Medical College in 2002 as one of the final year (minor) subject with aim of providing quality education to undergraduate and patients care. The departments has staff as required by Medical Council of India i.e. one Professor, one Associate Professor, two Assistant Professors, one senior resident and three Junior Residents.

The department has well equipped OPD with recent instrumentation. The instruments for patient care are Slit-lamp biomicroscope, Auto refractometer, Non-contact tonometer and indirect ophthalmoscope. There is also separate Refraction unit with staff which looks after correction of refractive errors, which is the most common eye problem. On and average daily around 150-200 patients attend Eye OPD for various eye disease. The patients are examined and treated accordingly. Department also issues Disability certificate to the needy on regular basis. The department caters patients not only from Akola districts but also from neighbouring district like Washim and Buldana.

The Ophthalmic ward has capacity of 30 beds with separate male and female wing. Ophthalmic Operation theatre is equipped with recent instrumentation and maintains strict sterility norms. Around 8-10 Cataract surgeries are performed daily. Specialised instruments like B-scan ultrasound, Nd:YAG laser, Specular microscope are also present in department for patient care. Department is committed to ensure accessible, high quality and ethical care for all needy patients.

Mission of Ophthalmology Department

1. To impart sound practical and theoretical medical education based on strong scientific evidence to students.
2. To extend equitable and efficient Eye care to underserved populations in the developing area
3. Treat every patient with empathy and respect
4. Provide special attention to the vulnerable group of patients: elderly, children and people with disabilities or illness
5. Encourage clinical research and continually seek better, more efficient ways to achieve quality education and patient care goals.
6. Adhere to high professional standards by a commitment to ethics, confidentiality, trust, respect and transparency.

Vision of Ophthalmology Department

1. As a teaching institute we like to create students both undergraduates and postgraduates who are competent, skillful, ethical, knowledgeable on whom a society can rely.
2. Its our vision to provide comprehensive eye care services of the highest quality to the needy.
3. Our ultimate vision is to be a model of excellence with a nation-wide reach, state-of-the-art facilities and appropriate infrastructure for carrying out high volume work, in order to make a significant contribution towards eradicating preventable blindness from our country.
4. Future vision is to develop various subspecialities like Vitero-retinal, Oculoplasty, Glaucoma, Cornea and paediatric ophthalmology and to recruit trained staff for providing such services to the patients.

Functions and Objectives

1. ) The general objectives of the department are to teach medical students sufficient ophthalmology to enable recognition of common eye complaints and their etiology as well as recognition of less common but life or sight threatening emergencies presenting as eye findings.
2. ) To conduct clinics, lectures, seminars, for students in Ophthalmology.
3. )To teach students effects of local and systemic diseases on patients vision and necessary action required to minimize the sequelae of such diseases
4. ) To conduct theoretical and practical exams.
5. ) To carry out and guide research activity for students and teachers.
6. ) To provide patient care to the needy
   :- Outpatient care
   :- Inpatient care
   :- To treat common eye disease
   :- To perform Cataract surgeries on regular basis.
   :- Speciality clinics like- Contact lens clinic, Retina clinic and Glaucoma clinic are run on particular days
   :- To provide Diagnostic services at community level
7. ) To train various paramedical staff.
8. ) To conduct CME for health professionals
9. ) To provide expertise in various policy making related to Eye care
10. ) To carry out National Blindness Control Program and its implementation at various levels.
11. ) To estabilish Eye bank and provide cornea transplantation services to the needy.

Organisation Structure and chart: -
The Department is well organised with -

1. ) Adequate OPD space (OPD no 21) with examination rooms, refraction room, dark room, teaching room for students and dressing room for minor procedures
2. ) Ward (Ophthalmology Ward no 21) with separate male and female units.
3. ) Adequate Operation theatre complex adjacent to ward.
4. ) Adequate space/rooms for teaching staff in training centre building.
5. ) Adequate space for clerical work in training centre building .
6. ) Adequate space for specialised services like- B scan, Nd:YAG laser, Specular Microscopy, Automated Perimetery is also present on 1st floor above ward

Departmental Teaching Staff ::

Designation	Name
Proff. and Head of Dept.	Dr U.C. Tiwari
Asso. Proff.	Dr Sohail Khan
Asst. Proff.	Dr B. T. Gurudasani
Asst. Proff.	Dr Snehal Burkule
Senior Resident	Dr Sunny Wadhwani
Junior Resident	Dr Sagar Bhuibhar
Junior Resident	Dr Shaileja Bondre
Junior Resident	Dr Dipti Umre

List of Non-teaching Staff in the department: -

Sr.No.	Name	Designation
1	Shri.Dinesh	Technician
2	Shri.Ankush	Lab. Attendant
3	Shri.Deshmukh	Store Keeper
4	Shri Kulmethe	Steno-typist
5	Shri. P.M. Bhalerao	Record clerk
6	Shri Murkar	Refractionist ( Opthalmic assistant)

Awards and Achievements::
Publications from departmental staff

• 1. Quality of services in cataract control programme in Wardha District Indexed- SJAMS vol. 2,issue-4(july-aug 2014)
• 2. Prevalence of cataract and cataract blindness in wardha district Indexed-SJAMS vol 2,issue-4(july-aug2014)
• 3. Bilateral Acute angle closure glaucoma and Acute anterior uveitis followed by snake bite Indexed-IJAR vol IV,issue VI,June 2014.

Paper presentation by Dr Gurudasani, Asst proff. at APCRS(international Conf.) at Jaipur in 2014
Department conducts bi-yearly eye camp at Chikali (Buldana district) in association with local organizing body. Screened Cataract patients are reffered to GMC Akola to avail benefit of cataract surgeries.
The Department also participated in Maha-Arogaya shivir, which was conducted in March 2016. The camp received good response. Screened patients for Cataract were referred to GMC akola for surgeries. Till now around around 50 patients have been operated from this camp .