Dr Sonal Farzavandi

About

Dr Sonal Farzavandi (Gandhi) is a Senior Consultant at the Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Department. She is currently Vice-President of the International Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Council (IPOSC) and Administrative Council member of the International Strabismological Association (ISA).

She attained her MBBS degree from King Edward Memorial Hospital in Mumbai as a gold medallist with numerous gold medals (under Awards) and scholarships to her credit. To name a few:

Scholarships and Prizes:

• The Manorama Vijayrai Hazarat Scholarship for having secured the highest number of marks on the grand total at the third M.B.B.S. examination of Bombay University held in October 1983.
                
• The Mrs. DeSa Memorial Prize for getting the highest number of marks in the subject of Gynaecology and Midwifery amongst the students of Seth G.S.Medical College at the third M.B.B.S. examination of Bombay University held in October 1983.
                
• The Dr. Sohrab A.E. Hakim Memorial Prize for standing first at the competitive examination in Ophthalmology held in September 1983 by the Bombay University.
                
• Distinctions in Anatomy, Forensic Medicine, Pathology & Microbiology, Surgery, Gynaecology & Obstetrics at the M.B.B.S. examination of Bombay University.

She acquired her Master in Surgery degree from the University of Mumbai in 1988 and the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1992. Dr Sonal is a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, International Strabismological Association and European Strabismus Association.

 

Her clinic and research interests include children and adult strabismus secondary to thyroid eye disease, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, trauma and vascular diseases.  She has been invited to speak on her technique of strabismus surgery both regionally and internationally and has conducted several instruction courses and live surgeries.

 

Dr Sonal has written book chapters and edited textbooks as listed below :-

 

Book Chapter:

1. Strabismus in Graves’ Orbitopathy by Farzavandi S. in ‘Clinical Ophthalmology – An Asian Perspective’ Pg. 671-676. Elsevier Publishing 2005.
                 
2. Editor for Colour Atlas of Strabismus Surgery Strategies and Techniques by Dr. Kenneth Wright. Third edition, Publisher: Springer Verlag Publishers, New York, USA. Accompanying DVD with surgery including ‘Topical Anaesthesia for Strabismus Surgery’ by Sonal Farzavandi.
                
3. Editor for Paediatric Ophthalmology for Primary Care by Dr Kenneth Wright. Third Edition 2008. Publisher: American Academy of Paediatrics

Education and Training

• FRCS(Ed) (1992)
  
• DO (Ire) (1991)
  
• MS (1988)
  
• MBBS (1983)

Professional Appointments and Committee Memberships

• Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore
  
• Member,  SNEC-SERI Integration Committee (2018)
  
• Administrative Council Member of the International Strabismological Association (ISA) (2017)
  
• Member, AAPOS Online Media Committee (2017)
  
• Vice President, International Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Council (IPOSC) (2016 – 2018) 

• Head, Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus Service, National University Hospital (2006 - 2010)

Awards

• Achievement Award, Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) (2017)
  
• Distinguished Service Award, Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology (APAO) (2016)
  
• Silver Award, Singapore Health Quality Service Award (2016)
  
• The Dr. S. R. Moolgavkar Gold Medal, Bombay University (1983)
  
• The Motiben Bapubhai Dalvi Gold Medal, Bombay University (1983)
  
• The Dowager Lady Shantabai Sitaram Patkar Gold Medal, Bombay University (1983)
  
• The Lady Reay Silver Medal, Bombay University (1983)
  
• The Pfizer Medallion in Medicine, Bombay University (1983)
  
• The President's Silver Medal, Bombay University (1983)
  
• The Dr. Shantabai (Saptarshi) Gulabchand Award, Bombay University (1983)

Publications

1. Tay SA, Farzavandi S, Tan DT. Interventions to reduce myopia progression in children. Strabismus 2017; 6 : 1-10
                 
2. Farzavandi S, Olitsky S, Chan E.   Chapter on “accommodative esotropia” in the strabismus section of the paediatric knowledge centre on the American Academy of Ophthalmology ONE Network, 2015
                 
3. Farzavandi S, Olitsky S. Section Editor for the strabismus section of the paediatric knowledge centre on the American Academy of Ophthalmology ONE Network, 2015
                 
4. Ang M, Wong TY, Ti SE, Loh R, Farzavandi S, Zhang R, Tan D, Chan C.  Steroid –induced ocular hypertension in Asian children with severe vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Clin Ophthalmology 2012; 6: 1253-8
                 
5. Wong IB, Paris V, Choi H, Farzavandi S. Anterior and nasal transposition of inferior oblique muscle for iatrogenic superior oblique palsy. Arch Ophthalmol 2011; 129: 1381-82
                 
6. Wong IB, Farzavandi S. What’s your diagnosis? Retinocytoma. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2010 Sept-Oct 47(5) 268, 287
                 
7. Chui MG Cheung, Ching Li Cheng, Sonal Farzavandi. Retinal and choroidal angiopathy and electrophysiological disturbance in a case of amyloid AA. E-publication in Eye. Nov 2009 DOI: 10.1038/Eye 2009.259 
                 
8. Editor for paediatric ophthalmology for primary care by Dr Kenneth Wright. Third Edition – 2008 Publisher – American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP)
                 
9. Wright KW, Sami D, Thompson L, Ramanathan R, Joseph R, Farzavandi S. A physiologic reduced oxygen protocol decreases the incidence of threshold retinopathy of prematurity. Trans Am Ophthalmol Soc2006; 104:78-84
                 
10. Pejic Zoran, Wong W, Husain R, Ling Y. Farzavandi S. Fusion exercises for treatment of intermittent exotropia and phoria. Am Orthopt Journal 2006;56:138-146
                  
11. Editor for Colour Atlas of Strabismus Surgery Strategies and Techniques by Dr. Kenneth Wright. Third edition, Publisher Springer Verlag Publishers, New York, USA. Accompanying DVD with surgery including ‘Topical Anaesthesia for Strabismus Surgery’ by Sonal Farzavandi
                  
12. Book chapter – Strabismus in Graves’ Orbitopathy by Farzavandi S. in ‘Clinical Ophthalmology – An Asian Perspective’ Pg. 671-676. Elsevier Publishing 2005
                  
13. Lee SY, Chee SP, Farzavandi S, Balakrishnan V et al. Surodex in paediatric cataract surgery. Br J Ophthalmol 2003; 87:1424-6
                  
14. Kwok S.K, Ho P.C.P, Leung S.F, Gandhi S. et al.  An analysis of the incidence and risk factors of developing severe keratopathy in eyes after megavoltage external beam radiation.  Ophthalmology 1998;105: 2051-55
                  
15. S.C. Lam, L.T.C. Chow, S. Gandhi et al.  Benign fibrous histiocytoma of the choroid.  Eye 1998; 12:208-11
                  
16. S.K. Kwok, S.F. Leung, P. Ho, S. Gandhi et al. Neovascular glaucoma after cataract surgery for radiation induced cataract. Ophthalmology 1997; 104:1112-5
                  
17. S.C. Lam, S. Gandhi, S.K. Ng et al.  Early correction of severe unilateral infant ptosis with the mersilene mesh sling.  Eye 1997; 11:806-9
                  
18. S.K. Kwok, P.C.P. Ho, A.K.H. Chan, S. Gandhi, D.S.C. Lam. Ocular defects in children and adolescents with severe mental deficiency. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research 1996; 40: 330-5
                  
19. D.S.C. Lam, T.P. Lam, I.N. Chen, G.H. Tsang, S. Gandhi. The use of palmaris longus tendon as a sling material for the correction of ptosis. Eye 1996; 10: 34-42
                  
20. S.K. Kwok, P.C.P.Ho, S.F. Leung, S. Farzavandi. Surgical results of radiation cataracts in Chinese patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Dev Ophthalmol 1994;26:14-8