CHENNAI: “Tamil Nadu has distinguished itself as a leader in healthcare delivery and medical education, with its institutions making significant contributions to advancing ophthalmic care and research,” said Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar on Saturday (July 4) while inaugurating the two-day Indian Intraocular Implant & Refractive Surgery Convention (IIRSI) 2026, asserting that the State has played a pivotal role in strengthening India’s position as a global hub for medical innovation.
Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day convention in Guindy here, Arlekar said that scientific forums such as IIRSI provided an invaluable platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration and professional growth.
“The sharing of expertise and experience at such gatherings will help advance ophthalmic care and benefit countless patients in India and beyond,” he added.
The convention brought together more than 2,000 ophthalmologists, surgeons, researchers and eye-care professionals from across the world, and also over 250 national and international faculty members, 500 scientific sessions and 9 wet-lab programmes covering cataract, refractive surgery, cornea, retina, myopia and comprehensive ophthalmology.
Jeewan Singh Titiyal, president of IIRSI, and Amar Agarwal, secretary general of IIRSI, also participated in the inauguration.
Titiyal said that the collaboration, innovation and continuous learning would shape the future of eye care by strengthening scientific exchange and surgical excellence. Agarwal added that the convention reflected India’s growing global stature in ophthalmic surgery and research, with live surgical demonstrations, abstract presentations, specialised wet labs, and others