Surgeons repair vision lost to rare birth defect, overcome ‘quintuple challenge’

Pune: Surgeons at a city-based eye hospital have restored workable vision in a 30-year-old man suffering from a rare birth defect called retinochoroidal coloboma . The success of surgery in such complex eye defects depend on the outcome of long-term follow ups, treating surgeons said. "Extremely rare birth defects such as this need regular and almost lifelong follow ups as there is a chance of recurrence.

It has been nearly two years since the surgery and the patient is doing well. We can safely say he is no longer at risk of complications now," said chief eye surgeon Aditya Kelkar, who is the medical director at the National Institute of Ophthalmology (NIO) and the patient's treating surgeon. The patient said, "After the surgery, I can manage my work all on my own.

" "The man had coloboma in both of his eyes. He only had light perception when he was referred to us. Post-surgery, now he is back to work with some useful and workable vision," Kelkar said.

The patient faced five major eye problems, making his case one of the most challenging.Treating such a complex case required a meticulously planned multi-step surgical approach, often referred to as "solving the quintuple" by eye surgeons. Each condition needed to be addressed carefully and often simultaneously to restore and preserve the patient's vision.

Initially, the patient underwent a vitrectomy — a surgery to remove the vitreous gel that fills the eye, providing better access to the retina. During the surgery, special .