A/prof Smita Agarwal was invited to attend the 2025 meeting of Asia-Pacific Association of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons (APACRS) in Ahmedabad as a panel member and presenter where she was able to share her work in the field of presbyopia correction and improving patient satisfaction.

Presbyopia cases are predicted to peak by 2030 at 22.1 million cases with higher prevalence in countries with high rates of longevity. According to Smita AGARWAL, MBBS, MS, BSc, FRANZCO (Australia) there are lots of available solutions to presbyopia between “lens and lasers,” but they all come with a tradeoff, such as reduced contrast sensitivity and depth of perception in monovision, or higher costs related to PresbyLASIK. According to Dr. Agarwal, current pre-LASIK solutions can be an alternative solution for presbyopia patients who are not yet ready for refractive lens exchange even if they are still happy despite the tradeoffs. “It is a necessity, not a lifestyle choice, to correct presbyopia with whatever means suitable and available for that particular patient,” Dr. Agarwal said.

Dr. Agarwal went on to win an award during the APACRS Film Festival for her submission exploring the new possibilities for far-sighted patients in the world of refractive surgery, “SMILE for Moderate Hyperopia: A Game Changer!”