Dr. Isha Agarwalla is a cataract and oculoplastic surgeon of rare versatility — trained at the University of California Los Angeles, the Singapore National Eye Centre, and Shroff Charity Eye Hospital, and now practicing at two world-class facilities in Dibrugarh, Assam and Dehradun, Uttarakhand. Her surgical repertoire spans advanced cataract surgery, ptosis correction, orbital tumour management, lacrimal surgery, ocular oncology, and cosmetic eyelid procedures. With over 40 peer-reviewed publications, 60 conference presentations, and 50 surgeons trained in cataract technique, Dr. Isha brings both scientific rigour and uncommon human warmth to every dimension of her practice. Her guiding conviction: quality eye care must reach every patient, regardless of geography or circumstance.
In this exclusive conversation with Rashmi Kumari of Neo Science Hub, Dr. Isha explores the promise and the caution that science-led biocosmetics demands — from the clinical scrutiny she applies to lab-grown actives and periorbital skincare, to the irreducible precision that surgery around the eye requires, and the human stories that keep her grounded.
The eye area is among the most demanding zones for any skincare application — cosmetic or clinical. How do you approach that boundary between surgical precision and aesthetic outcome?
Around the eyes, even a millimetre matters. Precision is everything. But at the same time, you have to respect a person’s natural look. I always tell myself: the best result is when no one can tell surgery was done — they just feel that something looks better. It is a very fine balance between function and subtle beauty. We never really want to change the original identity.
We operate on cases like ptosis, double eyelid surgery, and prosthetic eye implants where precision plays a defining role — because these procedures carry both a functional and a cosmetic responsibility simultaneously.
Lab-grown bioactive ingredients — fermented hyaluronic acid, recombinant collagen, plant stem cell extracts — are generating considerable excitement in the skincare industry. What is your clinical take on this space?
It is genuinely exciting. There is a lot of innovation happening, and some of these ingredients do show real promise — particularly in healing and in overall skin quality. But I believe in being cautious. Science over hype. Not everything that is trending is necessarily effective, and I look carefully at the evidence before recommending anything.
That said, we already use bioactive treatments in our own practice — Exosomes, PRP, PDRN — so the underlying science of biologics applied to tissue regeneration is not unfamiliar territory for us. The question is always: what does the evidence say, and is it specific enough to the indication?
(Picture from my training days, our department HOD, faculty and other members. ) 
(Picture from my training days, our department HOD, faculty and other members. ) 
patient with a frontoethmoidal sinus mucocele eye 
(Before after following Ptosis surgery) 
(Nicely folded notes by grandma, Post op with a patient) 
(Nicely folded notes by grandma, Post op with a patient) 
How important is ingredient transparency and clinical validation — particularly when it comes to products applied around the eyes?
Critically important. Patients today are far more aware than they used to be, and rightly so. The periorbital area is delicate, reactive, and unforgiving of careless formulation choices. When a product is backed by robust science and is transparent about exactly what it contains and at what concentrations, that transparency builds trust automatically. And in healthcare — in any dimension of healthcare — trust is everything.
I would never recommend anything for the eye area that I had not satisfied myself about, clinically. The standard cannot be lower simply because a product is labelled cosmetic rather than pharmaceutical.
You trained at UCLA and the Singapore National Eye Centre, yet you chose to practice in Dibrugarh and Dehradun. What drove that decision?
I have seen the gap very closely. People should not have to travel across cities or states simply to access good treatment. That delay costs time, money, and emotional reserves — and it often means the condition has progressed further than it needed to.
If we have the skills and the resources, we should take them to where they are most needed. Quality healthcare should not depend on your pin code. It should be available right where you are. Drishti Netralaya in Dibrugarh and Raahi Netradham in Dehradun are both genuinely world-class facilities — what they offer is not a compromise. It is the real thing, closer to home.
What inspired you to pursue both cataract surgery and oculoplastics — two quite distinct disciplines?
Honestly, it was the patients who guided me. Cataract surgery gives you the joy of restoring vision almost instantly — it is deeply fulfilling. But with oculoplastics, you go a step further. You are not just helping people see better; you are helping them feel better about themselves. I loved that blend of science and artistry. Over time, I realised I did not want to choose one over the other — I wanted to do both.
My training institutions were enormously instrumental in shaping that path. I still reach out to my mentors when difficult cases come in. And I look for training opportunities every year — there is always more to learn.
What excites you most about training the next generation of ophthalmologists?
It is genuinely energising. When you teach, you do not just pass on knowledge — you pass on confidence. Watching a young surgeon perform independently for the first time is one of the proudest feelings in this profession. And your impact multiplies, because they go on to treat so many more patients than you ever could alone. I have trained over fifty doctors in cataract surgery, and the feeling of passing on something that could shape an entire career — that never gets old.
Can you share a case that has stayed with you?
There are so many — every patient enters with so much hope, and that itself is a weight of responsibility. But one stays with me particularly.
There was an elderly patient I had operated on in 2024. In 2025, I took a full year away from clinical duties for further training. She had heard I was visiting to see family, and she travelled a considerable distance just to meet me briefly. She pressed a five-hundred rupee note into my hand — neatly folded, with one of her white hairs caught in it. She told me to keep it, that it was good luck from grandma.
I still carry it in my bag.
And the children — the ones I see with trauma, cataracts, tumours — they inspire me constantly. Playing with them between consultations reminds me: no matter where life takes you, through the difficult stretches as much as the good ones, never let go of the child in you.
What principle keeps you grounded through the long days and the demanding surgeries?
The reminder that even one eye — one patient, one life — matters. When I hold onto that, everything falls into perspective. Every effort feels meaningful.
When a patient has travelled miles to reach you, that is a profound responsibility. Whatever background they come from, whatever package they have selected — our obligation to do our absolute best does not change. That is the only standard I know how to work to.
