INDIA

INDIA

Our work in India

With one of the largest populations living below the poverty line in the world, India is home to 15 million people who are blind. Tragically, 90 per cent of cases are preventable or treatable.  

In India, 65 per cent of eye surgeries occur in the private or voluntary sector, while only 35 per cent are provided in government hospitals. Through our partnership with India’s government at the national and state levels, we are helping make primary care available to more people through India’s primary care system.

We are in our 60th year of preventing blindness and restoring sight in India, where we have partnered with communities in 90 districts across 17 states. Through our network of more than 31 partner hospitals and 114 vision centres, we are focused on:

  • Strengthening health systems and ensuring facilities have the resources, training and expertise to provide quality, affordable eye health care.
  • Establishing vision centres as local eye health hubs in the community.
  • Reaching people in the community with eye health screenings, health education and referral for treatment if necessary.
  • Public education around topics like nutrition, immunization, prenatal and postnatal care, and other health issues.
  • Supporting schools with quality, cost-effective refractive services and eye health education.
  • Early detection and treatment of eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy and early childhood diseases like retinoblastoma and retinopathy of prematurity.

2022 began with a third wave of COVID-19 infections in India, which impacted our ability to provide care in the community and staffing levels at many of our partner hospitals. Despite this challenge, we were able to fast-track our work in spring 2022 and, through increased efforts by health workers in the community, we screened nearly 747,000 individuals for eye conditions through door-to-door surveys. This meant increased patient volumes at our vision centres and partner hospitals.

As a result, we were able to declare 30 villages Avoidable Blindness Free in 2022 and ensure another 50 villages were well on their way to being declared the same.

2022 Impact

1,056,076

Eye exams

119,979

Sight-saving surgeries

208,633

Pairs of eyeglasses dispensed

33,571

Students screened through school eye health programs

30

villages declared avoidable blindness-free

747,000

People screened through door-to-door surveys

Learn more about our work in India in 2022.

Success stories from India

Our current priorities in India

  • Health system strengthening and government partnerships 
  • Opening new vision centres and expanding our presence in the community 
  • Primary care integration

How can you help

To join us in eliminating avoidable blindness in India, email philanthropy@operationeyesight.com or contact us here

Operation Eyesight is a registered charity in India. If you wish to donate directly to the Operation Eyesight India Trust, click here. Contributions to Operation Eyesight India Trust are exempted from tax under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act 1961 of India.