Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital Limited has launched the world's first dedicated Pinhole Pupilloplasty (PPP) Centre at its flagship facility located at T.T.K. Road, Alwarpet, Chennai.
The Centre was formally inaugurated on August 27, 2026, by the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru C. Joseph Vijay. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Dr. Amar Agarwal (Chairman and Managing Director), Dr. Manoj Khatri (Director – Vitreo-Retinal Services), and other eminent dignitaries.
The Pinhole Pupilloplasty technique is a pioneering microsurgical procedure developed by Dr. Amar Agarwal designed to address complex corneal disorders including corneal scars, irregular corneas, high corneal aberrations, and certain post-surgical optical distortions. The procedure has already provided vision to over 5000 patients.
The technique works by creating a small, precisely centred pupillary aperture that blocks scattered and distorted light rays while allowing better-focused rays to reach the retina, improving functional vision and visual quality without requiring donor corneal tissue.
The launch coincides with the 41st National Eye Donation Fortnight and addresses the global shortage of donor corneas. According to an international survey referenced in the release, approximately 12.7 million people worldwide await corneal transplantation, with only one donor cornea available for every 70 people in need. Approximately 185,000 corneal transplants are performed annually across 116 countries.
The new centre will serve as a comprehensive programme encompassing advanced diagnostics, patient selection, surgery, postoperative assessment, long-term follow-up, research, and ophthalmic training. The hospital currently trains more than 50 ophthalmologists annually through workshops and academic programmes on this technique.
The inauguration builds on the hospital's recent community eye-health initiatives in Tamil Nadu, including a large-scale, one-day eye-screening initiative for schoolchildren across the state where more than 16,000 students were screened in a single day.
Financial impact not quantified in the disclosure.