IIT-Hyderabad collaborates with LVPEI to offer M-Tech in Ophthalmic Engineering

Sangareddy: Centre for Interdisciplinary Program (CIP), Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH), in collaboration with the L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), is launching a blended Master of Technology (M-Tech) program in Ophthalmic Engineering through their combined expertise in ophthalmic care and in engineering and technology from 2022 academic year. This collaborative M-Tech program aims to bridge the gap between clinicians and the medical practitioner working in eye care with qualified technologists from related engineering streams.

This may be achieved through a training program that blends essential elements of medical care (ophthalmic care, in this instance) and engineering (optics, biomechanics, and controls engineering, in this instance). The program was intended to create a pool of qualified Ophthalmic Engineers who could take up the pressing challenges in eye care and develop technology products. This is expected to create professionals who can take up technology challenges in ophthalmology as a start-up.

This program is ideal for medical school graduates, ophthalmologists, optometrists, and engineers interested in advancing their careers in areas of technology-enabled eye care and vision science. The program requires the students to complete 52 credits across two years, consisting of two semesters in the first year with 14 credits per semester. In these two semesters, the program also requires students to complete mandatory courses in communication skills and industry lecture series in the first two semesters, enabling them to become effective communicators and establish contacts with industry leaders.

The students will be provided an opportunity to select a few courses from a basket of courses to complete the 14-credit requirement in each semester, constituting 18 core credits in various areas of ophthalmology, vision science, and various engineering aspects in Eye Care and ten credits of electives from the related subject domain. The coursework has both theory and labs. It will be taken by the leading academicians from both IITH and LVPEI teams. The third and fourth semesters require the completion of 24 credits (12 credits in each semester) by undertaking a project under the supervision of both the IITH and LVPEI teams in collaboration with the industry partners.

Talking about the program’s relevance Prof B S Murty, Director, IITH, said IITH has a rich technology and innovation ecosystem with several Departments working on the cutting-edge areas. Keeping up the mission of Inventing and Innovating in Technology for Humanity, the Director said the institute set up a CIP to encourage cross-discipline research and innovation. He said Eye care was among the important areas of social interest and technological importance, and their faculty members were already working with the leading institute in the area, including LV Prasad Eye Institute. Executive Chairman, LVPEI Dr Prashant Garg and others were present.