Addressing the shortage of eyecare professionals and enhancing optometry education can alleviate the burden of Uncorrected Refractive Error (URE) in India, says a new report published by the India Vision Institute (IVI), a non-governmental organisation working on strengthening the primary eye capacity of the country.
Co-authored by IVI’s CEO Vinod Daniel and Ramachandran P., Chair, IVI Advisory Committee, the report says that URE remains the leading cause of vision impairment in the country, impacting 59% of adults and 7.5% of children. It estimates that with more than 200 million people lacking access to corrective eyewear, the resulting economic loss in India exceeds ₹1 lakh crore annually.
The key recommendations of the report — ‘RE2030: Addressing Uncorrected Refractive Error in India’ — include, raising public awareness, enhancing optometry education, and integrating technology into eye care services. Notably, the report suggests training an additional 100,000 optometrists and technicians, particularly in underserved rural areas. By enhancing curricula and broadening training programmes, India can develop highly skilled optometrists who will stay in the profession and deliver essential services, especially in rural areas with limited access to eye care.
The optical retail market in India, valued at $3-3.5 billion, presents significant opportunities for growth, particularly through affordable eyewear solutions, the report says, advocating for local manufacturing to reduce import dependency and to improve access to quality spectacles.
By aligning with the World Health Organisation’s SPECS 2030 initiative and leveraging technology, including telemedicine and Artificial Intelligence tools, stakeholders can make substantial progress in improving refractive error coverage by 2030, the report says.
Published – September 19, 2024 08:25 pm IST
