Centre for Interdisciplinary Programs (CIPs), IIT-Hyderabad (IIT-H) in collaboration with LV Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), is launching a blended Master of Technology (M.Tech) programme in Ophthalmic Engineering through their combined expertise in ophthalmic care and engineering and technology from this academic year (August).
This collaborative M.Tech programme aims to bridge the gap between clinicians and medical practitioners working in eye care with qualified technologists from related engineering streams. This may be achieved through a training programme that blends essential elements of medical care (ophthalmic care) and engineering (optics, biomechanics, and controls engineering).
The programme intends to create a pool of qualified ophthalmic engineers who could take up the pressing challenges in eye care and develop technology products. This unique, promising programme is expected to create professionals who can take up technology challenges in ophthalmology as a start-up.
This programme is ideal for medical college graduates, ophthalmologists, optometrists, and engineers interested in advancing their careers in areas of technology-enabled eye care and vision science.
It requires students to complete 52 credits across two years, consisting of two semesters in the first year with 14 credits/semester. In these two semesters, the programme 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 are 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 course work has both theory and labs and will be taken up by leading academicians from both IIT-H 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 IIT-H and LVPEI teams in collaboration with industry partners.
“IIT-H has a rich technology and innovation eco-system with several departments working on the cutting-edge areas. Keeping up the mission of Inventing and Innovating in Technology for Humanity, the institute set up a Centre for Interdisciplinary Programs (CIP) to encourage cross-discipline research and innovation. Eye care is among the important areas of social interest and technological importance, and our faculty members are already working with leading institutes in the area, including LV Prasad Eye Institute,” said IIT-H director B.S. Murty.
“In addition to world-class eye care services, LVPEI is also known for advocating public eye health, basic science research in eye care, capability building of eye care personnel, vision rehabilitation, and eye banking. The institute also set up a centre for technology innovation, where clinicians could actively work with engineers and designers to develop innovative solutions for screening, diagnosis, and management of complex eye disorders. In this context, the joint MTech programme with IIT-H is a welcome collaboration, adding a fantastic dimension to our education programmes and for sky-rocketing technology innovation at LVPEI to a new level,” executive chairman of LVPEI Prashant Garg said.
