The specialty of Cornea and Refractive Surgery is broadly defined as the science of the cornea. Cornea is anterior the transparent part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and the anterior chamber. Together with the lens, the cornea refracts light, accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye’s total optical power. The special interest in corena encompasses the diagnosis and management of disorders related to structure and function of the cornea, and associated structures such as the conjunctiva and the tear film as well as the optics of the cornea , refractive errors and there correction .

Diseases affecting the cornea are a major cause of blindness worldwide, second only to cataract in overall importance. The epidemiology of corneal blindness is complicated and encompasses a wide variety of infections, inflammatory, and non inflammatory eye diseases such as Keratoconus with a very high incidence in Sri Lanka. Corneal stromal disorders as well as trauma that cause corneal scarring and loss of transparency, which ultimately leads to functional blindness is also high. Diseases and dysfunction of related structures such as the conjunctiva and tear apparatus also can cause corneal morbidity. In 2009 and 2010, 286 and 300 corneal grafts were done in Colombo eye hospital alone. Diseases of the cornea account for a substantial part of Ophthalmic practice.Chronickeratitis following epidemics of viral conjunctivitis has become huge problem.

Number of eyes are removed(evisceration) every year due to corneal ulcers. In 2009 fifty six eye and in 2010 forty six eyes were removed.

Recent improvements in science and technology have enabled the surgical correction for refractive errors which it self is a highly specialized field.

The high incidence of corneal disease in Sri Lanka warrants the urgent need to improve human resources to the existing Ophthalmic health care delivery system to strengthen the delivery of specialized services, to the sizeable number of our population being afflicted with corneal disorders. This can only be delivered with equity and quality through an organized system of training of specialists who will contribute to the cornea services as a Sub-specialty in Ophthalmology. Cornea is an accepted subspecialty in U.K, USA,Indiaetc.There are special ‘CORNEA’ days at international Ophthalmology congresses.

Further more a cohort of dedicated and trained Cornea and Refractive Surgeons will contribute to further research and development in this field in the region of South Asia.

The projected cadre for State Sector Hospitals of Board Certified Cornea and Refractive Surgeons by Ministry of Health is 1 by the year 2015. At present there are none. The Ministry of Health has created cadre positions in the Department of Health Services for which treasury approval has been obtained.

The candidate who enters the above special interest training program should have qualified the M.D. (Ophthalmology) Examination conducted by PGIM, and completed 1 year of post MD training in Sri Lanka. Admission will be done by the Board of Study in Ophthalmology for the allocated training slots in the subspecialty at the end of 1 year post MD training based on the merit position at the MD Examination.

Please refer to the relevant prospectus for the most up to date information. The prospectus of a particular programme contains official information pertaining to a programme approved by the Board of Management, University Senate and the University Grants Commission