The two-day conference was inaugurated by Dr I.S. Jain, an eminent eye surgeon and former director of the PGIMER, Chandigarh. About 400 eye surgeons from various states of India participated in the conference. Dr Daljit Singh, eminent eye surgeon emphasised upon the importance of taking the best technology to the poor and suffering people of the country to reduce the growing numbers of curable blind patients who cannot see just because they do not have enough resources to go to a proper place for treatment.

Dr Singh commented that there was a huge discrepancy between the number of eye surgeons and the number of patients requiring treatment. The need of the hour was the setting up of well-equipped hospitals in remote areas of the country to serve as incentives for the eye surgeons to settle and work there.

Dr Jain reiterated the need for proper training courses for the eye surgeons, so that they could know of the latest developments taking place around the world. He wished such courses and seminars be held regularly and regular publication of news bulletins by the society keeps the doctors up to date.

Dr S S Sangha, president, Punjab Ophthalmological Society, stressed on the need for proper eye banking facilities in the state. He also talked about the need for public education on the importance of eye donations so that thousands of people who are blind today can see the world through the eyes of those who are no longer with us.