Professional Journey
2024 – Present
Senior Resident Ophthalmologist
MKCG Medical College & Hospital, Berhampur, Odisha
200+ OPD patients daily. Managing complex anterior segment, trauma, and emergency cases.
2021 – 2024
MS Ophthalmology
SCB Medical College, Cuttack · Utkal University
Subspecialty focus: Cornea & External Disease. Published 4 research papers during residency.
2015 – 2021
MBBS
MKCG Medical College, Berhampur
Undergraduate medical training. Graduated with distinction in Clinical subjects.
Research & Publications
Peripheral Ulcerative Keratitis: A Clinical and Epidemiological Study of 40 Cases
Key finding: First institutional study of PUK from Odisha. 40 patients. Established systemic disease associations in 62% of cases.
Firecracker-related Ocular Injuries: A Case Series from a Tertiary Centre
Key finding: Documented 18 cases of Diwali-related eye injuries. Defined the IOFB extraction protocol for copper alloy fragments.
Chemical Ocular Burns: Outcomes of Amniotic Membrane Transplantation
Key finding: Prospective study of AMT outcomes in alkali burns. 94% limbal stem cell preservation at 6 months.
Acanthamoeba Keratitis Masquerading as Fungal Keratitis: A Case Report
Key finding: Diagnostic delay of 3 weeks due to confocal microscopy unavailability. Published to raise awareness in resource-limited settings.
Surgical Experience
| Procedure | Independent | Assisted |
|---|---|---|
| SICS (Small Incision Cataract Surgery) | 10 | 53 |
| Pterygium Excision with Conjunctival Autograft | 28 | — |
| Corneal Scraping and Culture | 120 | — |
| Intravitreal Injection | 35 | 20 |
| Chalazion Excision | 40 | — |
| Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) — Assisted | — | 15 |
| Amniotic Membrane Transplant | 8 | 12 |
Why I Started The Ophthal Classroom
“Every month in OPD I meet patients who were seen by multiple doctors before reaching me. The diagnoses were missed not because those doctors were incompetent — but because they were never taught clinical pattern recognition.”
The Ophthal Classroom exists to close that gap. I write about the cases that shaped my thinking — the PUK that looked like bacterial keratitis, the IOFB masked by corneal haze, the chemical burn where the first 60 seconds mattered. These aren't hypotheticals. They are real patients, real decisions, real consequences. That's what I teach.
— Dr. Sonali Panda