A man to keep one's eye on

He has received numerous awards, including, the "international gold medal" for advances in Lasik eye surgery. Last year, he was listed in Forbes magazine by Goldline Research among the top ten eye surgeons in the United States chosen from a list of 10,000.

Meet Dr Arun Gulani, often described by his patients and fellow professionals as the "Leonardo Da Vinci of eye surgery".

"It is really a tremendous honour. I guess what must have prompted that title is [my] constant innovation and the ability to think ahead of time and, the elegance of doing things," he said.

Gulani, 41, who came from Mumbai to the US in 1995, is the former chief of the Cornea Service and Assistant Professor at the University of Florida's School of Medicine.

He has invented over 50 award-winning surgical instruments, surgery protocols, classification systems and diagnostic signs. He has also invented Corneoplastique, a new super specialty Lasik surgery.

"I do not think there is any higher satisfaction than making people see. Lasik surgery has become a passion with me," he said.

What makes Gulani stand apart is not just his surgical skills, but his sartorial skills as well. He designs his own suits.

"I design my suits. I do not wear a white coat to work. I design all my clothes. It is the elegance that translates between eye surgery and life. There is no barrier for me between the two."

Does he consider himself an eye surgeon, a fashionista or an entrepreneur? "I think all three are intertwined," he says.