ENLIGHTENMENT WOMEN IN OPHTHALMOLOGY
Championing the Vitreoretinal Field
Women are shattering the glass ceiling in vitreoretina . . . and are becoming champions for sight.
by Tan Sher Lynn
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or Dr. Rekha Sidramayya Bainchincholemath (or as she simply refers to herself, Dr. Rekha S.), her interest in ophthalmology was ignited when her maternal uncle experienced a retinal detachment while she was studying for her medical degree in Gulbarga, Karnataka. Wanting to know more about the subject, as well as the best treatment options available, she decided to venture into ophthalmology. She did her postgraduate studies in the J.N. Medical College, Belgaum, Karnataka, and obtained her Diplomate of National Board (DNB) and vitreoretinal fellowship at Sankara Nethralaya, Chennai. According to Dr. Rekha, when she took up ophthalmology she though that it was ‘pretty cool’, however when she delved into the vitreoretinal subspecialty, she soon found out that it was a whole different ball game.
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“Vitreoretinal surgery is a complex blend of difficult high-tech microsurgery applied to a complex pathobiologic system. There are so many uncertainties and emergencies involved in the surgical field,” she said. Despite being in one of the most challenging subspecialties of ophthalmology, Dr. Rekha loves the challenge of treating difficult cases, which often require innovative problem-solving skills. She also finds
fulfilment in helping patients save their vision. Today, she works as a senior vitreoretinal surgeon at Agarwal Eye Hospital in Chennai, India. Throughout her journey in ophthalmology, her parents have been most supportive, although initially they placed some restrictions on her traveling. “Being in this industry, sometimes there’s a lot of travel to do in a single day and I will only return home after midnight. At first, my parents were