Orbis India, in collaboration with Ipsos, has launched its ‘Status of Child Eye Health in India: A Comprehensive Report’ on World Sight Day, a program of Vision 2020: Right to Sight-India. The Report was launched by the Chief Guest at the Vision 2020 program, Dr G N Rao, Founder and Chairman, LV Prasad Eye Institute.  

The report was launched at an opportune time on World Sight Day to stress the prevalence of eye health problems in India and recommend possible solutions, particularly for children. The Child Eye Report acts as an umbrella of information related to eye care, including the magnitude of the problem, causes and conditions in children, Orbis’s Child Eye Health model and best practices that outline the current landscape for children’s eye health in India. The report also discusses some of the gaps present on both the demand and supply sides of eye health in India.  

Orbis India has been closely working with Ipsos to develop an extensive report. It includes primary research in the form of in-depth interviews with 16 doctors and ophthalmologists who are subject matter experts on different eye conditions. The report also includes details of Orbis’s Child Eye Health Model.

Orbis has created a network of 33 Children’s Eye Centers (CECs) across 17 States, which is the largest pediatric eye health network in any one country and established 3 Paediatric Ophthalmology Learning and Training Centers.

Later this month, Orbis will organize a virtual Flying Eye Hospital (FEH) training program on Simulation for Indian eye care professionals through its award-winning telemedicine platform, Cybersight.

Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director, Orbis India said, “The report brings to light 8-10 conditions in children, that if diagnosed early can prevent childhood blindness: These conditions are Childhood Cataract, Childhood Glaucoma, Strabismus (Squint), Amblyopia (Lazy Eye), Refractive Errors, Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP), Retinoblastoma. One in every 1000 children is blind, where in most cases, the blindness was avoidable, if it had been caught early. Also, the report highlights the urban-rural disparity – urban areas would have 1 ophthalmologist for 10,000 people; in rural it is 1 for every 2,50,000 people. The report also talks about the interventions that can improve child eye health in India – the preventive model, eye screening, building awareness, focus on refractive error, expansion of healthcare, vaccination, Vitamin A supplementation, provision of visual aids etc.”