Eye Care FAQs – Miraj and Kolhapur

Adults between 18–40 with no known eye problems should have a comprehensive eye examination every 2 years. Once you turn 40, annual check-ups are recommended because conditions like glaucoma, cataract, and age-related macular degeneration become more common.

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of eye disease, you should have your eyes examined every year — or more frequently if your doctor advises. Children should have their first eye check before age 3, and then every year during school years.

Visit an eye hospital in Miraj or Kolhapur immediately if you experience any of these:

• Sudden loss of vision in one or both eyes
• Sudden appearance of floaters, flashing lights, or a curtain/shadow across your vision
• Eye pain, especially with redness
• Double vision that appears suddenly
• A chemical or physical injury to the eye

These can be signs of a retinal detachment, acute glaucoma, or other emergencies that require treatment within hours to prevent permanent vision loss.

No — spectacles do not weaken your eyes or cause your prescription to increase. Glasses simply correct the refractive error that already exists. In children, the number may increase because the eye is still growing, not because of the glasses. In adults, a stable prescription is normal; if it keeps changing, that requires investigation — often related to blood sugar levels (in diabetics) or early cataract formation.

Yes. Akashdeep Netralay in Miraj is a fully NABH-accredited superspeciality eye hospital — the same accreditation standard as top hospitals in Pune and Mumbai. We have the same technology for cataract, LASIK, retina, and glaucoma treatment: robotic femto cataract machine, the only Robotic LASIK machine in Western Maharashtra and North Karnataka, advanced retina lasers, and OCT scanning equipment.

Patients from Islampur, Vita, Tasgaon, Sangli, Kupwad, Karad, and surrounding villages regularly receive all treatment at our Miraj centre without travelling to Pune.

Cataract surgery is one of the safest and most commonly performed surgeries in the world, with a success rate above 99% at experienced centres. The cloudy natural lens of the eye is removed and replaced with an artificial intraocular lens (IOL). The procedure typically takes 10–20 minutes and is done under local anaesthetic eye drops — no injections and no stitches with modern phacoemulsification (phaco) technique.

At Akashdeep Netralay, we perform topical phaco cataract surgery — sutureless, patchless, and injectionless. Patients return home the same day.

The cost depends on the technology and type of lens used:

• Standard phaco with basic IOL: ₹18,000–₹35,000 per eye
• Femto (Robotic/Bladeless) cataract with standard IOL: ₹40,000–₹60,000 per eye
• Premium lenses (trifocal/multifocal — reduces need for reading glasses): ₹70,000–₹1,20,000 per eye

If you are eligible under Ayushman Bharat (PMJAY) or MJPJAY, cataract surgery may be available to you at zero cost. We are fully empanelled under these schemes. Please call us and we will check your eligibility before your visit.

In standard phacoemulsification, a surgeon manually makes a small incision and breaks up the cataract with ultrasound energy. It is highly effective and safe. In Femto (FLACS) cataract surgery, a laser (the Z8 Neo Femto machine at our hospital) performs several of the key steps — the incision, the circular opening in the lens, and breaking up the cataract — before the surgeon completes the procedure.

Femto cataract offers greater precision, especially for complex cases or premium IOL placement, and may reduce recovery time. However, standard phaco surgery by an experienced surgeon achieves excellent results too. Our doctors will advise which is best for your eye.

It depends on the type of lens implanted. With a standard monofocal IOL, you will see clearly at one distance (usually far) and will need reading glasses for near work. With trifocal or multifocal IOLs, many patients see clearly at distance, intermediate, and near — and some are completely spectacle-free. The right lens choice depends on your lifestyle, profession, and the condition of your eyes. Our doctors will discuss this with you in detail at your consultation.

No — this is an old myth. Waiting for a cataract to become “ripe” or fully white (mature) actually makes surgery more difficult and increases the risk of complications. Modern cataract surgery is best performed while the lens is still in earlier stages. If your vision is being affected — difficulty reading, driving, or working — that is the right time to consider surgery. Do not wait for total blindness.

Basic criteria for LASIK suitability include:

• Age 18 or above
• Stable spectacle power for at least 1 year
• Adequate corneal thickness
• No active eye infections or diseases like keratoconus
• Not pregnant or breastfeeding at the time of surgery

The only way to confirm suitability is a detailed pre-LASIK evaluation, which includes corneal mapping (Pentacam), wavefront analysis, and other scans. This is done at our Miraj centre. Do not decide based on an online check — what matters is your individual corneal profile.

LASIK costs vary based on the type of procedure:

• Standard LASIK: ₹25,000–₹35,000 for both eyes
• Femto (Blade-free) LASIK: ₹40,000–₹55,000 for both eyes
• SMILE/CLEAR (Flapless): ₹55,000–₹75,000 for both eyes
• Robotic LASIK (Contoura/Topography-guided): ₹60,000–₹80,000 for both eyes

The pre-LASIK evaluation cost is typically ₹500–₹1,000, which is adjusted against the surgery fee if you proceed. Call us for the current package prices.

LASIK itself is painless — anaesthetic eye drops are applied and you feel only mild pressure for a few seconds during the procedure, which takes less than 10 minutes per eye. After surgery, you may feel some mild irritation, watering, or sensitivity to light for a few hours. Most patients see clearly the next morning. You can return to desk work in 2–3 days and driving within a week in most cases. Contact sports should be avoided for about a month.

High myopes (those with power above -6 or -8) may not be suitable for LASIK because it requires removing corneal tissue, and high powers require removing more tissue. However, there is an excellent alternative: ICL (Implantable Collamer Lens). ICL is an additive lens placed inside the eye — no tissue is removed — and it corrects very high prescriptions (up to -20 in myopia) with excellent visual quality. ICL also preserves your cornea for any future need.

We perform ICL surgery at Akashdeep Netralay. A consultation will determine which procedure is right for your power and corneal profile.

Diabetes can damage the tiny blood vessels inside the retina — the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. This condition is called diabetic retinopathy. Over time, these damaged vessels can leak fluid, bleed, or grow abnormal new vessels that can cause severe vision loss or even blindness if untreated.

The alarming thing is that diabetic retinopathy often causes no symptoms in its early stages — your vision may feel perfectly normal while damage is already happening. By the time vision blurs, the disease may be advanced. This is why every diabetic patient must have an annual dilated eye examination, regardless of how good their vision feels.

Treatment depends on the stage of the disease:

• Early stage: Good blood sugar and blood pressure control, annual monitoring
• Intermediate stage: Laser photocoagulation to seal leaking vessels
• Diabetic macular edema (swelling): Anti-VEGF injections (Avastin, Lucentis, Eylea) directly into the eye — a painless procedure done under eye drops
• Advanced stage: Vitreo-retinal surgery

All these treatments are available at Akashdeep Netralay in Miraj and Kolhapur. You do not need to travel to Pune or Mumbai for retina treatment.

Yes — this requires urgent attention, ideally on the same day. A sudden shower of floaters and flashing lights can be a sign of a retinal tear or retinal detachment, which is an eye emergency. If the retina detaches fully, it can cause permanent blindness. With early treatment (laser or surgery), the retina can be repaired and vision preserved. Do not wait and see if it settles on its own.

Call Akashdeep Netralay immediately: 91005 31005

Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve, usually because of increased pressure inside the eye (intraocular pressure). The optic nerve carries visual signals from the eye to the brain. Once damaged, this nerve cannot be repaired and the vision loss is permanent.

The most common form — open-angle glaucoma — causes no pain and no change in central vision until the disease is very advanced. Peripheral (side) vision is lost first, and patients often don’t notice until 40% or more of nerve fibres are already destroyed. This is why it is called the “silent thief of sight.” The only way to detect it early is a comprehensive eye check that includes eye pressure measurement and optic nerve assessment.

You are at higher risk if you have:

• A family member (parent or sibling) with glaucoma
• High myopia (high minus spectacle power)
• Diabetes
• Been using steroid eye drops or tablets for a long period
• A history of eye injury
• Age above 40 (risk increases with each decade)

If any of these apply to you, please get your eyes checked even if your vision seems perfectly fine.

Glaucoma cannot be cured, but it can be very effectively controlled. The existing damage cannot be reversed, but with treatment, further damage can be slowed or stopped completely. Treatment options include:

• Eye drops: First-line treatment to lower eye pressure. Must be used daily as prescribed.
• Laser treatment (SLT): A painless outpatient laser procedure that helps drain fluid from the eye.
• Surgery (trabeculectomy or glaucoma drainage devices): For cases not controlled by drops or laser.

Early detection and regular follow-up are the keys to preserving vision with glaucoma. Most patients who are diagnosed early and comply with treatment maintain good vision throughout their lives.

Increasing myopia (short-sightedness) in children is now a global concern, and it is very common in Maharashtra. The key causes are insufficient outdoor time and excessive near work (screens, reading). Some effective strategies to slow progression include:

• Spending at least 1–2 hours outdoors daily — natural light is the most evidence-backed way to slow myopia progression
• Myopia control spectacle lenses (e.g., Miyosmart or Stellest lenses)
• Low-dose Atropine eye drops — prescribed and monitored by an ophthalmologist
• Orthokeratology (Ortho-K) contact lenses — worn overnight to reshape the cornea

We run a dedicated Myopia Control Clinic at Akashdeep Netralay. If your child’s power is increasing, please bring them for a consultation.

Squint (strabismus) should always be evaluated early — ideally before age 7 — because the visual system is still developing. Treatment depends on the type and cause of the squint and may include spectacles, eye patches, vision therapy, or surgery. Not all squints require surgery, but all squints require evaluation and treatment to prevent amblyopia (lazy eye), which can cause permanent poor vision in the turned eye if not treated in time.

Waiting or hoping the squint will resolve on its own is not recommended. Early treatment gives the best outcomes.

The first eye check should ideally happen between 6 months and 3 years of age, even if no problem is visible. Many serious conditions like amblyopia (lazy eye), congenital cataract, and squint are much easier to treat when caught early. Before starting school (age 4–5) is another important time to check, and then annually during school years. Vision problems are a very common and underdiagnosed cause of poor school performance.

We are empanelled with the following schemes so eligible patients can receive cashless treatment:

• Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY)
• Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Jan Arogya Yojana (MJPJAY)
• Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme (ECHS / Majhi Sainik)
• Employee State Insurance (ESI)
• Bandkam Kamgar Yojana
• Most private insurance and TPA cashless networks

If you have a health card or insurance, please call us to verify coverage before your visit.

Akashdeep Netralay is a fully NABH-accredited superspeciality eye hospital — the highest quality accreditation for hospitals in India. Key distinctions:

• The only Robotic LASIK machine (800 Hz) in Western Maharashtra and North Karnataka
• Z8 Neo Femto for bladeless robotic cataract surgery
• The first and only full-time eye hospital providing eyelid surgery, eye cancer, and oculoplastic surgery in the Sangli-Miraj-Karad-Satara area
• Dr. Kunal Patil is the only oculoplastic surgeon trained at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London (UK) in this region
• Topical phaco cataract surgery — sutureless, patchless, injectionless
• Transparent pricing with no hidden charges

You can reach us through any of the following:

• Phone / WhatsApp: 91005 31005 | 82371 12999 | 0233-2211675
• Website: akashdeepnetralay.com
• Walk-in: Both Miraj and Kolhapur centres accept walk-in patients. For surgeries and specialist consultations, prior appointment is recommended.

We have centres in Miraj (main branch), Kolhapur, and outreach camps in surrounding areas. Patients from Sangli, Kupwad, Islampur, Vita, Tasgaon, Athani, and North Karnataka are welcome.