Dr. V K Baranwal
Experience: | 37 years |
Education: | Armed Forces Medical College |
Academic degree: | MD (Doctor of Medicine) |
Area of specialization: | I am an ophthalmologist with a special interest in a bunch of areas that keep showing up in practice again and again—corneal diseases, cataract, glaucoma, childhood myopia, retinal disorders, and even the newer problem we see so often now, computer vision syndrome. Corneal cases always fascinate me cause a small opacity can change vision so much. Cataracts, though common, still need careful handling—every patient hopes to see clearly again and I don’t take that lightly.
Glaucoma is trickier, many patients don’t feel symptoms till its late, and that makes early screening so critical. With kids I focus a lot on myopia, cause the numbers are rising, especially with more screen use.. parents usually worry when they see their child squinting, and it’s often not taken serious until grades start slipping. Retinal diseases are another big part of my work—diabetic retinopathy, age related changes—these need long term follow up and patients sometimes get tired, but I try to keep them motivated.
Computer vision syndrome is almost everywhere now. People spend hours staring at screens and come in with headaches, dry eyes, blurred focus. I spend time explaining that it’s not just “tiredness” but a real eye strain condition. My goal across all these areas is to catch things early, explain in simple language, and give treatment that actually fits into people’s daily lives rather than complicating them. |
Achievements: | I am grateful to have recieved several recognitions through my career. I was awarded Chief of Army Staff commendation cards in 2001, 2013 and 2016, each tied to service moments that tested both skill and focus. During my UN deputation I recieved certificates of appreciation from Brigadier General and UN Force Medical Officer in 2008, along with certificates of excellence from Health Minister and Vice Governor in Democratic Republic of Congo. In 2011 I was honored with the Narsing A Rao award by AIOS, and later an appreciation from Member of Parliament Jhansi Lalitpur. |
I am an Eye specialist who spent 34 years serving in Indian Army Military Hospitals and also with the United Nations on deputation. My work has taken me through some of the toughest postings and moments, including Military Hospital Srinagar during the Kargil war, where I managed multiple eye injury cases that came in almost back-to-back. Those were long days and nights, but they taught me more about urgency, precision, and calm under pressure than any classroom ever could. Later I worked at Army Base Hospital in Delhi and Command Hospital in Lucknow—each place different in pace and kind of patients, but all requiring the same level of dedication. Army setups mean you see everything: trauma, emergency surgeries, chronic eye diseases, follow-ups that stretch years. And in UN hospitals, it was about managing a diverse group of people, from peacekeeping forces to civilian staff, adjusting to varied medical needs and sometimes limited resources. Over the years I received multiple awards—from the Chief of Army Staff, UN officials, and the All India Ophthalmological Society. Each recognition felt like a reminder that the long hours and sacrifices had meaning, though honestly what mattered more were the patients who walked out seeing better than they came in. My approach has always been grounded in discipline but also empathy. Soldiers, officers, families, civilians—they all needed care, reassurance, and skill in moments when vision was at risk. I never saw it as just treating an eye, but as preserving someone’s ability to live, to serve, to return home with dignity. Even after decades, I still carry that same sense of responsibility into every consultation. Looking back, the journey feels intense—battle zones, big military hospitals, international postings—but what holds steady is the belief that ophthalmology is not just surgery or diagnosis, it’s protecting the most vital sense we have. And I still try to give that same focus and steadiness to every patient I meet today.
