Mr Ashish Agrawal

Outpatient appointments at Spire Shawfair Park Hospital.

I have over 15 years of experience as a consultant ophthalmologist and I currently work at the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh. My specialist interest is in cataract extraction (small incision) and corneal diseases, including corneal transplants.

Principal surgical treatments carried out by myself at Shawfair Park Hospital include cataract surgery with intraocular lens implantation and YAG laser Capsulotomy procedures. I have performed over 5,000 cataract operations with a very low complication rate. My cataract outcomes are as follows: In over 400 consecutive cataracts, performed between 2017-19, 96% of my patients saw 6/12 or better (driving standard vision) postoperatively. My capsular rupture rate, which is a surgical complication and the most commonly cited measurement of surgical dexterity was 0.3% (comparative figure is 1.2% national cataract audit).

I received advanced training in the above mentioned sub-specialties at Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield and Manchester Royal Eye Hospital. I became a Fellow of the Royal college of Ophthalmologists in 2005.

I was appointed to NHS Lothian in April 2007, where I lead the corneal service and have been the ex-Chair for the quality improvement team in Ophthalmology. Since my appointment, I have developed the corneal service to a very high standard, by introducing many new treatments such as corneal collagen cross-linking for keratoconus, corneal endothelial keratoplasty (transplantation) and ex-vivo stem cell transplants, which were the first of their kind of procedures performed in Scotland and were widely reported in newspapers and television. At present, I do not undertake these procedures at Shawfair Park Hospital.

I regularly review articles for medical journals including EYE. I have 20 publications in scientific journals, over 40 presentations in national and international meetings and have been an invited guest speaker at many conferences and teaching programs.

I am actively involved in research and training of opticians, nurses, medical students and ophthalmic trainees. I am an examiner and the Regional Education Advisor for the Royal College of Ophthalmologist. I am also the Scottish representative on the 'Ocular Tissue Advisory Group'.