Solasta expands expert team with appointment of three surgeons
Solasta Healthcare, the Banbridge-based specialist cataract surgery provider, has expanded its team of local surgeons with the appointment of professor Colin Willoughby, Muralidharan Upendran and Sam Dowlet as consultant ophthalmologists.
Colin Willoughby is a professor of ophthalmology in Ulster University and a consultant ophthalmic surgeon in the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust where he specialises in cataract surgery and glaucoma.
In addition to training in Liverpool and Canada, professor Willoughby has worked as a clinical-academic in Queen’s University Belfast, the University of Liverpool, and Ulster University.
He runs an active laboratory programme which uses genomic information and technologies to understand ocular biology and mechanisms, in health and disease states. The main aim of his research is to improve the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of corneal blindness and glaucoma - the world’s most common blinding disorders.
Muralidharan Upendran is a Belfast-based consultant ophthalmologist with over 21 years’ clinical experience and over 18 years of specialist experience in ophthalmology.
He specialises in both medical and surgical ophthalmology and has special interests in cataracts, retinal disease and macular disease.
Mr. Upendran graduated in 2000 from Kasturba Medical College, India and completed his Master of Surgery in ophthalmology at Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, India in 2003. He became a member of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in 2006 and a Fellow in 2012. He also completed fellowships in vitreo-retinal surgery at Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre.
Sam Dowlet graduated in medicine from the University of Birmingham in 2008 and completed comprehensive Ophthalmology training in Northern Ireland in August 2018.
Mr Dowlut fellowships include medical retina/vitreoretinal surgery at Southend NHS Hospital, and an immersive experience in high-volume vitreoretinal surgery at the world renowned Moorfield’s Eye Hospital in London.
Mr Muralidharan said: “I’ve known the Solasta team for many years and have always been impressed by their dedication to excellence, professionalism and outstanding patient care. I’m delighted to join and help further their long-term vision of delivering excellence in cataract care across Ireland.”