Author: nowyouseeme

ABOUT

Sightsavers is a development organisation that has been working in India since 1966 to eliminate avoidable blindness and to ensure that people who are irreversibly blind are supported adequately to lead lives of independence and dignity. In the last 5 decades:

• Our work has impacted the lives of 55 million people with potential eye problems
• We have carried out 36.4million eye treatments
• We have performed 5 million eye operations with the help of our partners

THE INTERVIEW:

What led to the formation of Sightsavers?

Sir John Wilson, a visionary and pioneer in eye health care founded the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind (RCSB). Sir John Wilson, blinded at the age of 12 in an accident in his chemistry lab, often said “First I am a person. Second I am disabled.” His spirit and enthusiasm were infectious. It was his undying zeal that led to the foundation of RCSB now known as Sightsavers.He visited India in the mid-’60s and saw that work for the welfare of the blind was confined to a handful of organisations. India at that time did not have any national program or plan for the blind. The organisation started its work in India in 1966, and during this year worked closely with the National Association for the Blind (NAB). Dr. Rajendra Vyas, one of the pioneers of the NAB, started working with Sir John from 1967 operating mainly from his residence in Bombay, as Mumbai was known then. The organisation was registered in 1970 as the Royal Commonwealth Society for the Blind, under the Bombay Trust Act. Dr. Rajendra Vyas became the first Asia Regional Director of the organisation.

What triggered your interest in Sightsavers?

I have spent the last three decades in the social sector with assignments involving programs in Health,Education, Livelihoods, Disaster Management, and enabling fundraising for various social and economic causes. RN, as I’m fondly addressed by my peers, I’ve held leadership positions at various development sector organisations. My interest lies in being a strategist, and I am a realist in spearheading new initiatives. For Sightsavers, my immediate vision is of transforming 100 districts in the country in the arena of eye health and disability. I try and bring to the table experience of strengthening and managing teams and raising their capabilities. I hold a Master’s degree in Economics and have done my Post Graduation in Human Resource Management. It was during my higher studies days that I was inspired to join the international development field after looking at the impact of poverty on people. Health and education are key areas wherein I would like to bring about a change.

What is the core focus area or thematic interventions of your work?

Sightsavers’ vision is of a world where no one is blind from avoidable causes, and where people with disabilities participate equally in society. A large number of People with Disabilities (PWDs), especially those who suffer from a visual disability, are reeling under poverty, economic and educational deprivation, and are concentrated in the most under-served parts of the country. Sightsavers in India, through its thematic portfolio of Eye Health, Inclusive Education for visually impaired children and Social Inclusion of People with Disabilities, aims to have a significant impact on the lives of the economically and socially marginalised communities and also seeks to influence the policies and practices concerning disabilities in India. Systemic social work is at the core of Sightsavers as a not-for-profit organisation. We are committed to building sustainable program models, which have been endorsed and adopted by the government in our states of operation. Sightsavers focuses on collaborating with various departments of the state governments to scale up operations for our programs.

Could you highlight what areas are covered geographically?

Sightsavers India works in 8 statesand 20 most vulnerable cities, extending eye services to the least served areas, enabling people to lead lives of independence and dignity. The Priority States consists of Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Services in many regions have remained very poor with increasing backlog due primarily to limited human resources, non-utilization ofhealth services in the government sector and inadequate community mobilization. Sightsavers has identified 100 districts based on eye health indicators and demographics to bring eye services to a few of the most economically and socially marginalised districts. The aspiration is to transform these 100 districts over the next 5 years.

What is your vision and strategy for Sightsavers in India by 2025?

Cataract blindness and Refractive error (RE) are the leading causes of global visual impairment or blindness affecting more than 2.2 billion people worldwide. In addition to this rising burden of eye care, we are seeing increased inequalities, with women and girls, people with disabilities, and people living in low and middle-income countries experiencing higher burdens of vision impairment and blindness.Sightsavers Rural Eye Health Strategy sets out three clear objectives to respond to these challenges with an overall aim “ To reduce the prevalence of blindness by focusing on cataract blindness amongst the needy population in alignment with principlesof universal coverage of ( eye) health services in rural communities” with a target to reduce the prevalence of blindness to less than 0.3 % in selected High Impact districts of 8 states of India by 2025.
We are also expanding our Truckers Eye Health Programme to include bus drivers under its ambit. Our goal for Urban Eye Health is to provide equitable (eye) health services for the urban poor in slums and other underserved areas of selected cities.
Overall, Sightsavers seeks to make eye care an integral part of universal health coverage in the next five years. We would like to perform about 2 million sight restoration surgeries in the next five years.
For Inclusive Education Programme, Sightsavers would like to align itself with National Education Policy 2020 and renew its focus on learning outcomes and enablement for children with disabilities (CWDs). Thus, developing innovative pedagogies to simplify learning processes and working with families of CWDs to create a favorable environment among others will remain critical. Under our Social Inclusion Programme, Sightsavers will work towards increasing beneficiary coverage. People with disabilities will be empowered through skill enhancement for gainful employment along with the key focus on creating an enabling environment.

What are your plans in terms of increasing the team size in India?

We are generally a very lean organisation and manage our work with minimum HR that is required to run our programmes. While we may not increase our team size, we are aware that we need different and new skillsets to implement our next strategy and we will ensure we have those skillsets either in-house or choose partners who have those required skills.

What are the types of contributions people can do which make a difference?

Discourse and dialogue towards creating an equitable world for people with disability, and forming accessible avenues for eye health is a key contribution for the work that Sightsavers does. Financial contribution for sustaining and supporting our programmes is critical as well.

How do you manage and track funds to run Sightsavers, being a substantial organization?

Vital support from governments and other institutions helps us in our mission to eliminate avoidable blindness and fight for the rights of people with disabilities. Individual donors and corporate support in a transparent manner are used to run the many programs of Sightsavers. We receive international institutional grants from organisation like the European Union along with support from corporates and individuals alike.Each of our partners has been an integral part in helping us shape a programme for reaching out to a life where it is most needed. The corporate partner’s goal and objectives are seamlessly blended with our programmes to demonstrate the corporate organisation’s enthusiasm to fulfill its corporate social responsibility.Sightsavers is also Verified by GuideStar Indiafor Commitment to Transparency in addition to being certified by Credibility Alliance.

What are the challenges faced in Rural areas while running a camp/drive?

Unless eyesight deteriorates to a level that significantly compromises normal human functioning, people tend to relegate the need for care.In India, good quality cataract and refractive services reach out to only half of the people in need. The cause of this is a lack of social or family support and either direct or indirect costs. Most people are aware of their issues regarding eye health and the possibility of treatment for it. However, they are apprehensive of either the treatment procedure, its affordability or are deterred by previous experiences from the other members of their community.

What would your message be, especially to the youth of India in terms of contributing back to society?

I believe that our youth is way ahead in giving back to society and contributing towards nation-building. If at all, I would like to ask of them to give back to society in whatever way they can—time, knowledge, intellect, their services, and financial support among others. There is a lot to be done, and if we all make a small contribution it always goes a long way.

ABOUT

Driven by the mission to provide the best eye care to all, Centre for Sight has carefully handpicked a team of more than 150+ doctors from premier institutions across the country. We have pan-India reachability with 45 eye care centres across the country. Our recently opened, state-of-the-art facility: Centre for Sight Eye Institute at Dwarka, Delhi is one of the largest private comprehensive super speciality eye Institute in north India. Centre for Sight is registered in many states under the Nursing Home Act by the Directorate General of Health Services.
We spoke to Dr. Prashant, Director of Operations at Centre for Sight, one of the leading eye centres in India to understand their principles and initiatives towards the society.

INTERVIEW:

What is the objective and purpose of the Operations Team at Centre for Sight?

Our singular purpose is to deliver a delightful patient experience to one and every patient, making them aware of the benefits of our cutting-edge technology and clinical prowess we possess, to whoever walking into our Centres, expecting nothing but the very best.

What are the key elements that have brought you this far? Key achievements with relevance to bagging this position:

I have always followed the mantra of leading from the front, high on integrity and empathy, mentoring future leaders with a keen eye to strengthen patient experience to make it as the USP by adding value to the existing processes through Business Process Re-engineering (BPR). I have habitually focused on Capacity-building amongst the team members through personal intervention in form of Training, Management Development Programs, Workshops and follow an analytical approach to ensure business growth.In my past assignments, I had successfully chartered the course of many Multi-Centric Organisations towards service excellence and optimized profitability with my efforts aided by wonderful teams at my disposal.

These traits and attributes enabled me to bag this assignment.

How many centres come under your supervision? What are the predominant measures you take to keep everything in control?

I supervise 45 centres across 11 States and 25 Cities. We have a strong Core Team consisting of Regional Heads who are in direct connect daily and we perform monthly Reviews to assess the performance, identify the bottlenecks, and brainstorm strategies for resolution and growth. There are structured Reports which come to us regularly and we have benchmarked indicators that are monitored, analysed, and corrective actions are planned and implemented when needed.

What are the top 3 skills you look for while recruiting doctors?

A strong clinical training background, comprehensive experience (surgical and clinical) with excellent outcomes alongwith empathetic approach towards patients and alignment to our organizational values.

What are your initiatives towards creating a seamless work environment/ patient experience?

We have worked diligently to develop a working model which includes patient and staff centered processes, by first truly understanding patient needs and expectations, keeping in check and control patient journeys at all touchpoints, and red flagging deviations with prompt service recovery which enables a patient experience, which is always delightful and memorable and also have systems to escalate patient concerns and resolve within quick timelines. Sensitization of Staff towards such a patient-centred culture is a constant endeavour by us and we use technology to ensure seamless service delivery systems.

What is that one single differentiator that distinguishes CFS from its other counterparts?

CFS stands for unflinching adherence to ethics and has been also a pioneer in introducing cutting-edge technology with experienced clinicians delivering world-class clinical outcomes with compassionate care.

What are the pros and cons of COVID according to you in regards to the Eyecare sector?

In terms of pros of COVID19 Pandemic in the Eyecare sector, we can say new patient service delivery models have gained traction, now more than ever (Telemedicine and Home-Care), also such adversity always strengthens both the intent and resolvements towards developing innovations using state of the art platforms like AI and ML. In terms of the cons, there weredelayed treatments due to restrictions, impacted clinical outcomes, and training for budding Ophthalmologists was severely restricted due to frequent lockdowns which shall hinder their professional progress in the times to come.

How has the role of leaders evolved during the pandemic?

Leaders have had to show agility in pivoting businesses to adapt to the challenges thrown by the Pandemic. They also have had to roll out WFH culture yet ensuring the highest productivity. These times have tested their empathetic approach to the core and also their ability to stay afloat through cost containment measures. This is the time for leaders to promote a culture of innovation.

How has Covid-19 affected the operations of CFS?

The safety of patients, doctors, and staff has always been our first priority. The processes, timings, staffing patterns, and service delivery models all have been restructured during the pandemic to keep up with the patients’ needs and expectations and also to ensure smooth operations like keeping patients and staff safe through measures on the lines of sanitization and social distancing.

How do you manage the procurements of eyewear, lenses, medicines, etc throughout all centres?

–Answer: We have Opticals and Pharmacy across all our Centres and have a Central Supply Chain Department which handles all procurements of eyewear, lenses, and medicines.Many of these processes are automated to save time and resources. We also cater to the demands of our patients through logistical avenues like Home Delivery for both Optical and Pharmacy.

What are the technologies adapted by CFS?

CFS has always been ahead of the pack when it comes to adopting new technologies whether it’s in the clinical domain or aiding Patient Care delivery. The Senior Leadership has always worked on ideation towards testing, piloting, and implementing to scale these technology platforms which have aided us in delivering better than the best clinical outcomes and patient experiences. We have been at the forefront in introducing these tech advances at a global level, participating in their R&D too, and take pride in always leading from the front.
Making our patients adopt new technologies like SMILE or Femto Cataract takes a lot of coordinated efforts making them realize the enhanced benefits which are challenged by the higher costs incurred by the patients. Change is always difficult but with leadership support, such inevitable changes are always smoothly transitioned to further the organizational cause.

How do you like to spend your free time and what are your other interests?

My free time gets spent indulging in writing blogs and poetry, reading books, listening to music, travelling and teaching Hospital Management aspirants in B-Schools.

ABOUT: ZYLUX.

Zylux is a brand that comes with a clear vision & mission to provide Ophthalmic lenses at affordable prices.Being into healthcare & wellness, in a country like India where a considerable population is underprivileged to have quality vision care, we at Zylux have tried to do our bit by introducing a great European technology backed by a strong Singapore based manufacturing company have introduced Zylux lenses in India at a never seen before price points making it affordable to the masses of India with cutting edge technology. We believe eyes are the most precious & most important organ of a human body & making the business of spectacle lenses fully commercial & diverting into luxury segment and charging exorbitant prices will make it difficult for the common man to afford a quality eye care at economical prices.We at Zylux are on a mission to provide the best of the eye care needs at steal prices and not even compromising on the technology & the geometry of making the lenses.Our Editor-in-chief, Siddharth Salecha spoke with Mr. Pratik Bhatt, CEO of Zylux Lens to understand the contribution in making the lenses affordable and available to every individual.

INTERVIEW: Mr. Pratik Bhatt,CEO

What led you to enter the field of ophthalmic lenses?

This goes to the times when I was studying business management and always dreamt of introducing some unique sets of products& services in the world of business. My interest in ophthalmic lenses increased when during semester breaks, I visited my dad’s good friend who was the distributor of quality eyewear glasses. That’s how I got the zeal & understanding of the trade and decided to do something special i.e. build an ecosystem with the spectacle lenses. Finally, after amplere of search, I developed the ecosystem of Zylux lenses which provides Premium quality eye care lenses at the lowest prices.

What are your initiatives towards creating an impact in the Optical Industry through ZYLUX?

ZYLUX Initiative – Is to deliver Quality Eyecare prescription lenses at economical prices.While building the ecosystem for Zylux, there was a visible gap in the mid-segment price variant which practically existed in the industry though it went unnoticed over the years.There were 2 dimensions i.e. 1) Quality at a higher price and Low quality at a lower price which also lacked the technological aspect of making a lens.With Zylux I wanted to form a domain in which we will deliver a technical & highly advanced product at economical prices which benefit the masses as a whole.

What are the 4 major factors that are the differentiator for Zylux from its other counterparts?

Our 4 major differentiator factors are as below:1. Technology – We offer BSP (Back Surface Power), CEV (Custom Engineered Vision), ATL (Add to Life), at an economical cost compared to other players.2. Value – Zylux lenses due to its Uber premium quality has the highest customer retention ratio – Once a customer of Zylux always a customer, thus generating value at every Zylux partner store.3. Simple & Minimal – We studied the other competing brands and their way of representing the brand was highly cluttered and confusing for both opticians as well as consumers, hence we decided to make our portfolio look very simple with obvious choices for the consumers and made India’s simplest & minimal looking brand in Spectacle lenses industry.Please visit our website – www.zyluxlenses.com to understand lenses, as our content is simple and easy to understand for any individual.4. Exclusivity- The Zylux partner stores are handpicked for their renowned expertise and experience and the ability to be exceptional service providers. Zylux lenses are the first boutique spectacle lenses brand available at very selective doors and supreme eye care professionals. The brand is strictly not open for any distribution agencies or any bulk supply as at Zylux, quality is always preferred over quantity.

What are the 5 top difficulties the lens brands are facing currently in India?

Yes, there are a few challenges which the brands face:1- Being in an unorganized sector it is extremely difficult for players with an organized brand Image to enter & make way.2- Due to the unorganized sector, many forms of lenses are available in the market which don’t even go through strict QA/QC adherence but yet sold in the market openly poses a challenge for a Quality player to step in and make the difference.3- Customer’s lack of awareness towards new technologies and product variants available in the market for their customizations poses a products.challenge for the lens company to innovate4- Improper education of support staff regarding the technical worth of the product again adds to the misery of the lens company as staff without proper dispensing knowledge affects the dispensing of the right product to the consumer. Such issues are mainly prominent in rural parts of the country.5- The right infrastructure like the robotic mechanism, or to take eye measurements to prescribe a customized lens is available to only a handful of opticians which lessens the opportunity to spread the idea of customized lenses in smaller towns & cities.

Is India dependant on imports for Lenses? What changes should take place to become independent in this sector?

I would not particularly say for Lens Industry but yes, India needs to be Independent in the manufacturing sector as we are yet dependent on imports of raw materials or finished goods from different countries.Government should now start focusing and take steps to help the nurturing minds of Young India who eventually will help set up different manufacturing units in India by allowing easy capital investment, land & other requisite to set up different types of industries.It’s high time we focus on quality manufacturing and upgrade ourselves from only an agriculture-focused economy to a Robust manufacturing economy as well.

How many types of lenses are available today? Which are the bestsellers?

The lens industry has levelled up in comparison to a decade before in terms of variety and variations along with different types of indexes giving consumers multiple choices in terms of value & pricing.The best sellers I would say are the Freeform Progressives & the Blue Filtered glasses both in Single & Multifocal vision, keeping in the mind the current trend & Increased screen time due to the new “Work from Home Culture”

Could you explain the relationship between an optician and a lens maker/provider?

We share a great relationship and are connected with each other closely, it is the retailers who have helped the lens industry grow in the last decade which I have personally witnessed how an independent optician takes efforts to give in-depth knowledge about each type of lens perfectly suiting the needs of the end consumer.I think we should be thankful to the opticians who have helped evolve the consumer taste & preference by educating the consumers on different types of lenses available to them along with its features & benefits of buying them.

Why are lenses usually priced so high?

The procurement of spectacle lenses is not naïve and is a geometrical science as there area lot of researches and tests which goes behind introducing any type of lenses. Other various expenses like advertising & branding add up to the pricing as well.

What are the important factors to be considered when buying the perfect lens?

Definitely, Lenses are the most important tool that should be kept on priority as that defines the clarity of vision one will have.Of course, brand value adds to consumer behaviour at the same time as being in the health care & wellness category.The consumer usually prioritizes on recommendations by the opticians and the optometrists for a particular lens brand. Also, key features like;1. Coating quality
2. Lens design
3. After service conditions of the brand
4. Clarity of the lens
are some of the key factors to be taken into consideration before the purchase.

What are the types of custom-made lenses? How do they differ from each other?

As in Zylux, we say Every pair is custom-made & not ready-made. Just to state with an example, not all shirts fit all bodies, similar with the eyemeasurements, it differs from man to manalong with a selection of frames in means of shapes & sizes, which also affects the making of the lens.Hence our lenses are tailor-made according to every measurement of the human eye and different frame parameters are taken into consideration while making a lens.The customized lenses are differed with different viewing zones as per the need of the consumer, for example, A consumer who spends most of his time focusing on near objects is prescribed a customized lens with a wider reading area for his ease of vision. and for someone who drives is prescribed a wider distance and balanced intermediate, near vision drive glasses, and so on.

What is that one goal you want to achieve with ZYLUX, and how do you plan to achieve it?

With Zylux we are on a clear mission to provide the masses with the best in class technologies for eye care at the most economical prices, as eyes are the most precious gift through which we see the beauty of this world and there should be no allowance of poor quality.We have already scaled it to the national level with a highly qualified team of optometrists, entrepreneurs & strategists working day and night for the brand to be in maximum optical stores & eye clinics with concentrated marketing effort & unique branding strategies. Our robust presence in both online & offline channels has made Zylux the talk of the Optical Industry.Even though we are relatively a new entrant, we have made considerable investments in the look & feel of the brand along with a highly aggressive and competent team joining from large corporations. They stand strong with Zylux etiquettes in every zone of the country, to be available for easy assistance of all our partner stores.An Initiative no young brand has ever taken in the Spectacle lens business in India.

ABOUT: SHROFF EYE CENTRE

With a unique legacy of a 100 years and 4 generations of providing quality eye care to, Shroff Eye Care today consists of the Shroff Charity Eye Hospital (SCEH) group and Shroff Eye Centre, which are both super-specialty institutionssynonymous withstate of art equipment, the highest level of professional excellence and ethical values in ophthalmic care.The Shroffs have been pioneers in the field of professional eye care in northern India. The foundation for excellence in eye care was laid by Dr S. P. Shroff, Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, U.K. who started Ophthalmological work in Delhi in 1914. By 1926 he had established “Dr Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital” at Daryaganj, Delhi, the first hospital of its kind in northern India, equipped with the best instruments and facilities available at that time. The tradition was carried forward by his son, Dr. Minoo Shroff. In 1973, Dr Minoo Shroff subsequently started Shroff Eye Centre. Motivated by the vision of Dr S.P. Shroff, both the hospital and the centre are committed to providing patients with the best possible eye care while maintaining the highest levels of honesty and integrity
WEBSITE: https://www.shroffeyecentre.com/

ABOUT: DR DARAIUS SHROFF

Dr. Daraius Shroff is one of the Medical Directors of Shroff Eye Centre also a trustee on the board of SCEH. He is an integral part of the team of ophthalmologists at Shroff Eye Centre, who utilize cutting-edge techniques to offer the best in diagnostics, medical and surgical careDr. Daraius Shroff completed his medical education (MBBS) and internship from Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), New Delhi. He did his Post Graduation (MS) in Ophthalmology from Guru Nanak Eye Centre, MAMC, Delhi University. He subsequently underwent vitreoretinal surgery super specialization training from the prestigious Sankara Netralaya in Chennai. He cleared both parts of the International Council of Ophthalmology Examinations. He was awarded a fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Glasgow (FRCS) in 2010.Dr Shroff is part of the Core group of Delhi Retina Forum which includes dynamic retinologists from India and across the world. He has been part of the organising team for the prestigious Delhi Retina Meet since its inception.He has a strong interest in clinical research and has presented Scientific Papers and posters at various International and National Conferences. He has more than thirty-five publications in indexed peer reviewed International Journals. He has published articles on innovations in bimanual techniques as well as in advances in Imaging.He is interested and has been developing new techniques to make vitreoretinal surgery safer and more effective.He has won the prestigious Rhett Buckler Award at the American Society of Retina Specialists meeting in San Francisco in 2016.At SEC he has been using the latest SWEPT SOURCE OCT angiography which is a revolutionary new non-invasive technology for imaging the retina without the need for any dye in the body.He is part of the Editorial board of the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, and is a reviewer for prestigious international ophthalmic journals including Ophthalmology, the American Journal of Ophthalmology and BMC OphthalmologyOur Editor-in-chief, Siddharth Salecha spoke with Dr Daraius Shroff, Medical Director and Vitreoretinal surgeon at Shroff Eye Centre to understand the contribution of Shroff group in the fight against curable eye diseases and preventable blindness in India.

THE INTERVIEW:

Firstly, what is the difference between Shroff eye care and Shroff eye centers?

Shroff Eye Care is a century old legacy of Ophthalmic care provided by our family. It consists of both a charitable hospital started by my great grandfather in the year 1926, which is now part of the SCEH group and Shroff Eye Centre (SEC).They are separate entities. SCEH is run by a board of trustees, which includes members of our family, and SEC is our clinical practice.

What were the challenges faced by the Shroff family to achieve what they have achieved today?

There were a lot of challenges to set up Eye care institutions over the years.
My great grandfather Dr. Sorabji Shroff was born in Bombay but his family served in the Punjab and he was brought up in and qualified as a doctor from King Edward Medical College, Lahore. Delhi became the new capital of the country in 1911 but lacked the medical institutions already set up in Bombay and Calcutta. In 1913,Sorabji decided to make the move from Lahore to Delhi. The young doctor saw hundreds of patients who flocked to him from all parts of North India. He was deeply affected by the plight of poor patients who could not even afford his very reasonable fees. He made a promise to himself that he would never turn away anyone who was suffering, even if they could not pay. Beginning by seeing patients free of charge, in his own private consulting chamber, his work became unmanageable as the numbers increased drastically.

In 1914, he began a charity eye hospital in a single room in the Dharamshala of Lala Laxmi Narain in the Walled city. When this one room, donated by a Hindu, became too small, a Muslim philanthropist, Haji Mohd. Ishaq helped this young Parsi, by giving one storey of his new building on Burnbastion Road for the medical and surgical treatment of poor eye patients. Thus, all communities worked together to help restore sight to the poor. Between 1st October 1916 and 30th November 1917, 16,771 patients were treated by Dr. Shroff at his dispensary in a period of 14months. Sorabji realized that North India needed a full-scale Charity Eye Hospital and so he created a Trust to help collect money to invest in a building and equipment required for modern Eye Hospital. Well-known personalities of Delhi came forward and because of his charitable medical work, Dr. S.P. Shroff secured land from the Government to complete the Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital in Daryaganj.

Website: https://www.sceh.net/

My grandfather Dr Minoo Shroff from the 1980s onwards found it very difficult to run the hospital with minimal grants and appeals for funds, as providing eye care became more and more cost intensive. At this stage, the Eicher Group came forward to support the hospital with financial support and professional expertise.Prior to the invention of intraocular lenses, if you had a cataract it was removed, and you would have to wear thick glasses. When intraocular lenses (IOL)wereintroduced, everybody believed it was a time bomb in the eye. But despite a lot of criticism,my father started IOL implant surgery, as he was very certain that it was the future. He was one of the first people to do IOL surgery in the country and promoted and propagated its use. Nowadays, IOL implant surgery is the universal norm across the world.There have been challenges at each stage and each generation has faced different ones. Even today, providing affordable eye care without compromising ethics and standard remains a constant challenge.

What makes Shroff Eye Care stand out from the rest?

All eye centers today have the latest technology and the latest equipment, butour institution is unique because of two things:compassion and ethics. As you know without the heart the body cannot survive, similarly in our institution if a patient comes to our hospital, we don’t just treat him as a patient, butensure that the best possible thing is done for him in every regard. This is something I feel is incredibly unique and it comes with our ethos. The other factor is our team.We are lucky to have team members who are excellent professionals in their field. We do not just have four Dr. Shroffs, we have 35 eye specialists in addition. It is our team that is extraordinarily strong and covers all the subspecialties of ophthalmology. The team spirit and ethics is also what makes us standout.
Today, we have 4 branches in Delhi NCR and the Shroff Charity Eye Hospital is mainly in Daryaganj, but it also has satellite branches all over North India and especially Uttar Pradesh.

What made you choose to become a super Vitreoretinal surgeon?

I completed my MBBS from Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), Delhi and joined Guru Nanak Centre for my ophthalmic surgery training. At that time, my thesis guide Prof Mehta who was also the Head of the Department, had assigned the thesis which had to be done in the next 3 years, as a retina thesis. I was also assigned to a new machine which was called OCT which is Optical Coherence Tomography. It is a non-invasive way to examine the retina and, I was very fortunate because it was one of the high-volume government hospitals that had recently acquired OCT. So, my thesis was based on this and when you are working on something for that long your interest is kind of drawn towards it. Since the beginning I have been in ophthalmology, but I was drawn towards retina and then eventually turned into a VR surgeon.

What are the most common retinal diseases that you have encountered and how can these be prevented and treated successfully?

That’s a very important question because as a retina surgeon the most common disease we see is diabetic retinopathy.We need to get a little perspective about this as India is going to be the diabetic capital of the world. In the year 2011 India recorded about 31 million diabetic patients and in 2030 it is expected to rise at 79 million. A huge percentage of these patients will suffer from diabetic retinopathy which can cause irreversible blindness. The important message here is that anyone with diabetes should get a screening done as prevention is better than cure. So, if we detect diabetic retinopathy early, we will be able to prevent loss of vision and blindness in such patients. Anyone with an insulin-dependent type of diabetes should be screened within 5 years of their initial diagnosis.Those with a non-insulin-dependent or type 2 diabetes should have a retina check-up as soon as they receive a diagnosis. Ideally, anyone with diabetes should have a yearly checkup.
This is the way we can detect retinopathy at an early stage and plan out the treatment.In Diabetes, the retina gets swollen up or bleeds, which is not good. This can be treated by various techniques like laser photocoagulation and certain injections known as anti-VEGFs. Additionally, we have a lot of surgical maneuvers that are available which are helpful when the patient loses vision. But surgery comes last, before that we try out other ways to save the vision.However, the patient should have good metabolic control like a healthy diet, an optimal exercise in conjunction with the diabetologist so that these complications are less.

Can any person with diabetes be affected with retinal diseases?

Yes, anyone can be affected though duration is very important. Patients are most likely to get diabetic retinopathy after 5 years of the diagnosis. But it is always recommended to have a check-up once a year for early detection and treatment. A retina check should be apart of routine eye check-up for those with diabetes.

What is the Delhi Retina Forum about? Could it be attended by non-members?

We are a group of 6 surgeons who have laid the foundation of DRF in Delhi. DRF is a platform for learning, sharing, discussing retinal diseases, medical cases, surgical cases, for uploading videos etc.It is based on WhatsApp but we also have our online and real conferences twice a year. The latest conference was conducted in September but due to COVID-19 we had to do it online.As topics covered are highly specialized on complex retinal issues, we encourage retina specialists to attend. The best part about this is that we have eminent teachers and surgeons who are a part of this platform.So, when anybody posts a question or complicated cases, they get suggestions/solutions from around the world in a few minutes, that is the beauty of DRF. Doctorswithout a large team or additional expertiseare the ones benefitting from this a lot.As what really matters to us is best treatment possible for every patient. It is a good opportunity for younger VR surgeons to learn and incorporate the best practices. And yes, it is totally free of cost as we feel giving knowledge is everyone’s responsibility.

Does your organization take care of people who are not financially sound enough?

Yes, there are trusts that takes care of that in both places. In Shroff Charity Eye Hospital, a lot of international organizations and companies are helping through their corporate social responsibility programs. Moreover,theEicher Group is a vital part of the trust. Due to these generous donations, the best possible care is given to all sections of the society.

Could you share some of your techniques to make retina surgery safer and more effective?

One of them, interestingly, just got published in October 2020 issue of the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. It is called the tug of war. In this technique basically, we use two instruments, again manually. So, when we have membranes or proliferation which is preventing the retina from coming down one option is to cut it off, but I prefer not to do anything destructive. As with both hands, we can remove any fibrosis or proliferation which is sticking and not letting the retina settle. So, this is one of the maneuvers that we described and one of them recently got published. The link to the article is :
https://www.ijo.in/article.asp?issn=0301-4738;year=2020;volume=68;issue=10;spage=2155;epage=2158;aulast=Shroff
The other one is for cases that have giant retinal tears. There is a bimanual technique we used for that also.These are some of the techniques that we use. The chandelier innovation has helped us improve our outcome and the result we can give to our patients.

Could you highlight on bimanual techniques?

Basically, when we do a retina surgery with one hand, we hold a light to show what we are operating and with the other hand we hold an instrument to cut or peel. But this is a challenge when we do complex or small maneuvers. In bimanual what we do is that we separate the light source, so just like we have a chandelier in our house to give light, here we put a chandelier in the eye. And then with two hands, we can perform the surgery. So instead of unimanual, we do bimanual which increases the accuracy of our surgical steps. One of the pioneers of this technique in India was my uncle Dr Cyrus Shroff, he virtually started modern vitreoretinal surgery in North India after training in early eighties with Dr SS Badrinath from SankaraNethralaya Chennai.

Is bimanual micro incision a common practice by retinal surgeons in India?

It is used quite often, but the only thing is that it requires certain investments in terms of finance and time. You need to have a separate light source -the chandelier More time is mainly required because an extra step is required. But according to me, it isn’t about time but about the results. If you are getting better results for your patient, then this technique is well worth it.

Have you taken any patents on your techniques?

No, wehaven’t because they are just techniques. We would like everybody to use these to heal a maximum number of patients.

So, this is one of my favorite questions. Where does India stand today in terms of health technology? How are all the hospitals and doctors adapting to this?

Well, we are advanced in health technology. Earlier technological advancements happened in the West and it took years to come to India but that’s far from the truth now. All facilities available in the West come to India almost immediately because it’s a very lucrative market.But these advancements in technology need to reach all sections of society in India, which is a major challenge. SCEH is doing the most of that in peripheral regions where the facilities arelacking and the population is in dire need. They’re doing it on a small-scale but it has to be carried out on a large-scale through NGOs, charitable organizations, etc.
I would like to talk about imaging now as that is a major technological advancement in my field.
Through Imaging, you can look inside the eye. You require imaging for the retina since it is positioned at the posterior-most region of the eye next to the optic nerve that transmits the impulses to the brain. We have wonderful machines that help us image the retina. Firstly, we have the OCT that takes a histologic image, it almost seems like we are viewing a patient’s eye under a microscope inside a lab. So, it is a great way to view the retina with a patient sitting comfortably in front of you.
The principle behind the technology used here is through the speed of light. As the speed of light travels faster than the speed of sound we can get the resolution of 5 microns to view the cells of the retinal fluid. In diabetic patients, there is a build-up of fluid behind the eye and this technology facilitates us to catch the fluid build-up early so we can take preventive measures. Earlier on, we used to perform angiography in the eye, which means injecting the retinal blood arteries with a dye to capture the image. With the latest technology, we can capture images without injecting any dyes and obtain imaging without touching the patient and it is a very revolutionary technology in this field. It is exciting because these few things are helping us take care of our patients in a very non-invasive way. Especially with COVID, it is beneficial to get the procedure done without touching the patient and vice versa. It is non-contact!

How are you seeing patients with the current lockdown restrictions?

We arevery careful when it comes to safety. For us, the safety of our patients, doctors, and staff is very important. We’re taking all the necessary precautions and we’ve modified a lot of our equipment at the reception and in the premises. We wear face shields; two masks and we have a plastic covering that is breath-resistant and minimizes exposure on most of our equipment. Our staff is also using gloves, gowns, etc. to prevent the risk of spread. It is uncomfortable, but this is something we have to do because it is important for us and our patients.

But frankly, what do you feel about COVID-19? How bad is it?

Many people are taking it lightly but when it hits you, you realize how bad it can be. From a public health perspective, there are plenty of other diseases that are also killing people like tuberculosis, but currently only COVID-19 is being highlighted because it is so infectious. Also, it is affecting all strata of society and all age groups so that is important. Not only people from villages or those who don’t have access to health-care but everyone and in all parts of the world.

With the enhancements in digitalization, if you could give some tips to our readerswhich might help them take self-care?

There are two damagingaspects faced by the constant usage of digital media. One is what it does to the eyes and the other, what it does to our minds. Everyone is addicted. Even children are glued to smartphones and tablets all day. So not just eyes think about the impact it is having on our minds, our way of thinking.As we understand now that all work is done through the computer, we should move the entertainment off it. We should encourage children and adults to participate in puzzles, outdoor activities, and reading books. But also, younger children should be kept away from screens and from social media as that is addictive and dangerous. I recently saw a documentary on Netflix THE SOCIAL DILEMMA, It is very scary.So here are some tips for the eyes –
1. The bigger the device, the better. Instead of using a cellphone, use a larger device like a desktop or a computer for your children. That is better and gives less strain to the eyes.
2. Gaps should be taken. It’s not advisable to view screen for hours at a time. Avoid excessive usage as much as possible and you can also get lubricant drops over the counter that are especially good for adults who are computer professionals. Our pediatric ophthalmologistgives a rule of 20-20-20. After working for 20 minutes, look away for 20 seconds and look at objects around you that are 20 feet away. This rule is great to overcome the digital strain.

How do you manage to keep your energy levels up even after hours of working, wearing PPE kits and all the equipment?

The one thing that keeps me going is thatI enjoy mywork can go on for hours without feeling tired. Secondly, having a very good team helps when everyone is looking after each other. If at all somebody is down, someone else is there to take over. In that way, we are very lucky to have such a team. Thirdly, we need to be positive and have a positive state of mind because the moment negativity takes over, it drains you. It was our privilege having a chance to converse with you, Many Thanks!

Dr. Vatsal S. Parikh is a Vitreo Retinal Surgeon of repute. There is an interesting background to this. He developed a passion to become Retinal Surgeon as his father had Retinal Detachment in 1969 when he was in 7th standard, and he had undergone 10 eye operations. Thus, an early family exposure to the trials and tribulations of Retinal Detachment reinforced his decision to join the medical fraternity as a Vitreo Retinal Eye Surgeon.

• He has done fellowship at the renowned Sankara Netralaya (Chennai) in Retina Vitreous in 1988.
• His paper on bimanual vitrectomy for advanced diabetic retinopathy was selected as the best paper at all India ophthalmic society’s annual conference at Bhopal in 2006. He has also won the first prize in an essay competition at the All India Ophthalmic Conference, Ahmedabad in 1989.
• He was awarded the Vocational Excellence Award by Rotary Club of South Bombay in 2010.
• He has ISO 9001-2000 certified, fully equipped and computerized establishment for Vitreo Retinal work at prime location “Opera House”, Mumbai.
• He served as Secretary of Bombay Ophthalmologists’ Association (BOA).
• He is an active international member of American Academy of Ophthalmologist (AAO) and attending Annual Academy meet every year since many years.

INTERVIEW:

How many years have you been working as a Retina specialist? What made you choose this career?

I have been practicing as retina specialist for 32 years. My father had undergone 10 eye operations in both eyes since 1968 to 1985, majority related to retinal detachment, so I had decided to become retina specialist

What are the various advanced tools and equipment to diagnose retinal problems?

To diagnose retina problems, it is important to start with patients’ complaints, systemic history taking, checking visual acuity and slit lamp examination including bio microscopy and examining retina with binocular indirect ophthalmoscopy for both eyes. With these routine examination for all patients, retina problem can be detected and diagnosed in more than 90% of times. These days routine examination is incomplete without the test of OCT (Optical coherence tomography). Additional tests like ultrasonography, wide angle fundus fluorescein angiography, ICG angiography, oct angiography electro retinogram, can be done in some patients to confirm diagnosis and monitor the treatment.

Our readers would want to know about your past achievements and the challenges you’ve faced along the journey?

I would not say any personal achievement because I strongly believe we treat, He cures. But would certainly feel that God has blessed us to make lots of patients improve in vision and be comfortable in life. I value this achievement the most.
The challenges: The retina treatment is in general more difficult and unpredictable, so we face challenges every day, but God has been kind and we are able to understand the disease process and plan the treatment accordingly in more than 90% of the patients.

How many lectures have you conducted till date? How was the experience showing up and teaching to such huge numbers?

I wouldn’t have count of no. of lectures but may be between 800 to 1000 to eye surgeons, retina specialists, general physicians and lay people. The experience is very good. First of all, when I give lecture my knowledge increases. We have computerised records of all patients for last 25 years, so whenever I give lecture it contains all actual patients’ details (without disclosing their identity), so audience can understand the lecture in detail, it doesn’t become theoretical.

What does vitreoretinal mean?

Vitreoretinal means relating to diseases of vitreous and retina. Retina is in the back part of an eye and is like a film in the camera or sensor in a digital camera. It is the most important part of the eye.

What causes wrinkled retina? How can it be treated?

Wrinkling in retina is similar to wrinkles in cloth, it is due to something from vitreous pulling on retina or stiffening of retina due to scarring in retina. If it causes discomfort in vision, then surgery is the only treatment.

What is Scar tissue? What causes it?

Scar tissue, anywhere in the body is an abnormal tissue which occurs as a result of injury, inflammation or disease of the retina which causes loss of function in the eye i.e. Vision loss and it can cause detachment of the retina. Treatment of the scar tissue which is pulling on the retina is vitrectomy operation.

What does Myopia mean? How is it impacting our population?

Myopia means short sightedness. It means that affected person cannot see far away clearly depending on his number, but can see clearly nearby objects. It is a very common issue starting from childhood till age of 50 or so, it is prevalent due to constant use of eyes on mobile, laptop, computers, it has today become a life style disease. In the current pandemic of corona people are indoors and use their eyes tremendously more. Children should be encouraged for outdoor sports and less computer time and we should also restrict mobile use by avoiding unnecessary screen usage on social networking platforms like WhatsApp, Facebook and twitter etc.

Are there any symptoms to be known for our readers about any retinal errors?

Symptoms related to retina are unique and mandate detailed retina check-up, Patients see flashes of light, floaters in front of eye, seeing distorted vision, sudden blurring of vision or seeing curtain in front of eyes. Patients with diabetes should have retina check-up done on a yearly basis.

What would you suggest is safe to wear in the situational viruses like COVID-19, Eyeglasses or Contact lenses?
WHY?

Wearing contact lens or glasses during such uncertain times makes no difference. You have to take utmost care of your lenses well.

What eating habits people should adapt to, for better vision?

Any food rich in antioxidants like green leafy vegetables, almonds, olives, nuts are important to be added in your diet to prevent the ageing changes. Healthy lifestyle will help you to control diseases like diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol which is also good for one’s body overall.

Dr. Vatsal, can you tell us about your interests, hobbies apart from being a Top Retina Specialist?

Apart from reading about retina and Ophthalmology. I enjoy spending time with myself. I love to practice my religion. I have been learning Sanskrit and have also done a 3 years course on Vallabh vedant from Bombay University. Being a Vaishnav by caste, reading bhagwat gita is one of my hobby. I strongly believe that we need to go beyond our present and live meaningful life which may be much more than physical, sensual worldly pleasures. We need to accept all fellow human beings as they are and learn to respect each and everyone. We need to make I into US or WE. Walking and swimming are one of my favourite activities to do in my free time.
To conclude I would say that God has been exceptionally kind to give us good eyes and healthy body. It is important to look after them when you are young. Don’t ignore health as Life is beautiful and worth living.

Dr Rajeev Prasad completed his bachelors in optometry with his BHMS in Homeopathy medicine. In 2014 he became the board member of the Indian Optometry Association and in 2018 he got an opportunity to serve as an organizing chairperson to 37th All India Optometry Conference.

Further he was unopposed elected as Secretary General of Indian Optometric Association and within the lockdown period SAARC nations Optometry Forum was formed and got elected founder secretary of SAARC Optometry Forum as well.

Our Editor-in-chief, Siddharth Salecha spoke with Dr Rajeev Prasad, Secretary General, Indian Optometric Association and Founder secretary, SAARC nations optometry forum to understand the crisis and norms of the eye care environment, what experience it offers and how a well-designed system setup can give the much needed energy and culture boost to the Optometrists in India.

INTERVIEW:

What are your career experiences and the journey of being the Secretary of Indian Optometric Association today?

Originally, I am born and brought up in Patna. In 1996 I got into optometry and post optometry I thought of joining the family business but somehow after a couple of years, I realized that probably the retail business is not for me. Finally, I decided to get in different areas in search of trying to do something new, which is more exciting to me. And then in 2002, I got the opportunity to pursue a fellowship in low vision from LV Prasad Eye Institute – Hyderabad, a very famous Eye Care Institute. They had started a new course in low vision and in each batch; they wanted only two people every year which was supported by TATA’s, So, you have to give a lot of interviews to get into the batch but I was quite fortunate to get into that. I was in the second batch and was a part of the top four initial groups. After I got this opportunity, I left Patna and moved to LV Prasad to complete my fellowship and that is where I realized that there is a lot beyond just checking up eyeglasses. There’s a lot that can be done in Eye Care even if you aren’t an eye surgeon with an MBBS. Low vision actually opened my eyes and gave me the idea that there are a huge number of people struggling with many of the other vision-related problems. And most of the time they are denied a treatment saying that ‘nothing can be done’. For a clinician it is very easy to say that, but for the patient it’s the end of a beautiful life. We do tell patients that they have a retinal problem or some major issues, but what is the solution? So, unless and until as a doctor if you don’t give the patients a solution, the problem still lies ahead. In search of the answers, I got into low vision. After completing my fellowship, I did my first webinar in prestigious Patna Medical College Hospital, Department of Ophthalmology in Patna. I also wrote a book on low vision which was called ‘The Basics of Low Vision’ and later got an opportunity to be a part as a clinician for an event by Special Olympics International happening in India. For the first time, I realized that there is a special population that needs our assistance and the event gave me exposure to connect with them because of which I had made up my mind to help and give smiles to them which pulled me to Special Olympics. I continued to volunteer for such events and attended couple of events on my own expenses. Somehow in one of the events in Patna, there were a few International officials present as guests who noticed me and asked me to join the for a training taking place in Japan, without thinking for a moment I agreed and visited them for almost 15 days. After the training, I came back and I did two more events in Hyderabad and Afghanistan. Year 2005, in Afghanistan, the Taliban war was on and so the organization weren’t keen enough to send me there and risk my life, but back then I said if I have to die, I might as well go and do something good and constructive for the society before dying. And that’s how I went to Afghanistan and conducted a Medical training of the doctors there, about 16 of them I recall which also got covered on BBC. The organization was happy with my work and offered me a position to join them as an employee. I served them for almost four and a half years and during that period I was promoted as the Asia Pacific Health Head for one of their initiatives taking care of almost 21 countries.

I was travelling all over the world. Since I was trained in low vision So it was more of vision rehabilitation. But in general understanding about a disability, I got a real idea about the special population being a different segment. Although we call them mentally challenged, later I realized that it is our disability to see the ability in them. Unfortunately, I was going through a health issue at that time I had a brain haemorrhage in 2009 because of excessive travel. And I came out of the Special Olympics considering my health. Then I decided to go back to my hometown Patna and do something there. But even after having so much exposure it was difficult. I never lost hope as I wanted to continue helping the society so I finally decided to expand my knowledge gained during travels across the globe for low vision as there were hardly any practices on low vision in India. At this point, I have my visiting practice in Mumbai, New Delhi, Bhubaneshwar, Patna and Jamshedpur.
I completed my bachelors in optometry. I also completed my BHMS in Homeopathy medicine. In 2014 I got an opportunity from the Indian Optometry Association as a board member and in 2018 I got an opportunity to serve as an organizing chairperson to 37th All India Optometry Conference. Further I got unopposed elected as Secretary General of Indian Optometric Association and within the lockdown period SAARC nations Optometry Forum was formed and got elected founder secretary of SAARC Optometry Forum as well.

What is Eye Gurukul? What are your plans with it?

Eye Gurukul was started on 8th April 2020, yes during the lockdown. Here my aim was to connect with my colleagues and get their knowledge shared to optometry students and other viewers through webinars. Till date we have completed more than 158 sessions and more to go. From that 20 – 25 sessions are by International speakers from Africa, US, UK, Singapore, and even World Health Organization. Eye Gurukul is now being followed by people from Africa, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, besides SAARC nations. Looking at the increasing demand we have also started an online course as this is the new normal which gives people the liberty to attend lectures at their ease.
We have two courses currently, one course we did in neuro optometry which was an eight-lecture series by Dr Cathy Stern -USA and another course we launched was on contact lenses i.e. EGCLS – Eye Gurukul Contact Lens Series which is a 40-hour lecture.

Also, last week we collaborated with an organization in the USA which runs webinars related to vision problems there and we managed to sign a MOU to bring those International lectures to India. The Mission and Vision of Eye-GURUKUL are to provide a low-cost virtual education platform (in Current scenario) that connects with colleagues across India and around the world offering equal learning opportunities for everyone. Eye-Gurukul does not intend to compete with existing education providers or institutions/Universities rather envisage Eye-GURUKUL as one part in the optometric education landscape that serves to drive participants to other formal education opportunities. On the occasion on 73rd Independence Day on 1st August Eye GURUKUL announced “Paathshala” an Eye Gurukul Initiative. The idea and concept behind Eye GURUKUL in Hindi in “Paathshala” is that in the recent past we came across that the Optometric educational system in India is not uniform and few colleges’ lacks training of theories and practical’s, due to non-availability of good facilities or infrastructure besides other administrative challenges, thus this gap forced us to start something which bridges the gap especially in northern and central India, wherein Hindi is most preferred language and easy to understand by all.

What according to you are the simplest methods to prevent vision related problems looking at digitalization and increase in screen time?

Firstly, The 20-20-20 rule:
The major precaution is the 20-20-20 rule. For example, if you are sitting on a chair for a long time, you feel like standing and stretching your body, Similarly, if you are continuously over the gadget, your eyes need a stretch too. This 20-20-20 rule states: every 20 minutes for 20 seconds you should move away from the screen, blink 20 times and see at a distance of 20 feet
which will not only give your eyes a sense of relief, but with every blink new tear would develop and help the eyes from dryness. At a minute we blink for almost 30 to 40 times, but when you stare at a screen your blinking rate goes down to 7- 8 blink per minute. It is more of theory evaporation than formation of tears which leads to burning sensation, heaviness, headaches and all that.
Secondly, The viewing screen:
The viewing screen should be 15 to 20 degrees below eye level and about 20 to 30 inches away from the eyes with good light and anti-glare screen protector.
The blue coating is additional but make sure you have one which protects your eyes from the reflection. Even a normal green coating is fair enough.
Thirdly, The coating:
Recently, there has been hype on the blue light and screen rays. The solution to that is the blue or green coating on your glasses to prevent those emissions enter your eyes. There are many companies online selling these glasses but I would suggest to buy from a really trusted source as bad glasses could damage your eyes further.

What does the three O’s stand for, in eye care industry? What are the statistics?

Eyecare stands with three O’s. i.e. 1. Opticians, 2. Optometrist (eye physicians) and 3. Ophthalmologist (eye surgeons).

OPTICIANS: The job of an optician is to dispense good quality eyeglasses but there’s a special training for that, unfortunately India doesn’t have any training for it so anybody who has money can start their own optical store, and that is the biggest flaw in the industry. As making and selling good glasses requires a lot of skill because if they are not made with fine measures or not sold of best quality customer/patient may face problems like headaches, eye strains, etc.
The government is in talks about coming up with a bill which will help situations be more streamlined.

OPTOMETRISTS: Optometrists or eye physicians, usually deal with basic eye problems such as burning, itching, etc. People with any primary eye problems visit optometrists to get their eyes checked.
Around 4000 to 5000 optometrists pass out every year in India, which clearly states that we have a good number of optometrists. But the problem is registering the optometrists, that’s because we don’t have a regulatory body ensuring their capability as we lack in having an equal education system. There are a lot of excellent colleges where the students are very thorough with the subjects with many private colleges having high fee structure, facilities etc. but lack in giving good training. These corporate optometrists do present themselves really well but the practical work is difficult to say. In brief, the government-allied health bill has already proposed and is expected to pass within few months. I hope the bill is implicated and all deserving qualified optometrists who can practice in this field start their own optical store.

OPHTHALMOLOGISTS: Ophthalmologists or eye surgeons usually deal with the major eye disorders like glaucoma, iritis, chemical burns etc. They conduct surgeries like cataract extraction, lens replacement, cornea reshaping, transplants, retinal detachment repair, and glaucoma treatment.

In terms of statistics, All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) has registered close to 20000 to 22000 ophthalmologists in India. So, if you see the population of this country i.e. 132 billion people cannot be served with a team of just 20000 to 22000 ophthalmologists. Additionally, India bags around 65 million people who have diabetes as per article published in Indian Journal of Ophthalmology in January 2016. This increase in global prevalence of diabetes would have its impact on the number of people with diabetes-related complications, such as Diabetes Retinopathy; nearly one-third of them are likely to develop this complication.

Does India have a regulatory body for the 3 O’s?

At this moment, no. Any profession has two kinds of bodies one is the statutory body and one is the regulatory body, in medical if you see we have Indian Medical Association (IMA) which is a statutory body. They look after the wellbeing of the doctors and anything that is needed for the benefit of the doctors they will propose to the Council and the government will look into the matter to ensure that their interests are safeguarded. Similarly, IOA, the Indian Optometric Association is also a statutory body but we are waiting for the government to come up with the regulatory body to it. I represent Indian Optometric Association as a secretary at this moment and we have already tabled the request. We hope that by this year things will change though it has been a very tough year for everybody but I see eye care has a lot of positive change coming ahead. This year will mark history because India will definitely have a regulatory body for eye care.

What do you mean by Astigmatism?

Vision is defined depending on where the light hits.In layman terms when from a distance, the ray of light enters your eye to form a vision on the retina is called normal vision. In technical terms, we call it an Emmetropia.
When parallel rays fall before the retina or in front or before the retina it is called myopia.
In myopia we give minus lenses to divert the rays directly to the retina and give a clear and sharper vision. When the parallel rays go behind the retina that is called hypermetropia for which the plus power is given.
On the other hand, when these parallel rays go towards the retina, where the rays focus at one point of the retina, but all rays are forming on different points that is called Astigmatism. To fix that, these rays are merged at one access for a clearer vision.

What do you mean by amblyopia?

In simple terms, Amblyopia is known as lazy eyes. It is actually a disorder in vision development or in other words is a disorder of the brain’s ability to use both eyes together as a team.
If I go by its definition, Amblyopia is an active process due to suppression, or the brain actively ignoring the information coming from one eye due to which people with amblyopia are more prone to have difficulties with depth perception, eye movements related to reading, and visual decision making while driving as an eye fails to achieve normal vision activity even with the prescription glasses. It can be one or both eyes, unilateral or bilateral amblyopia and even infancy or early childhood. There is anisometropic amblyopia too, where one eye’s vision is absolutely okay and the other eye has a very high power, like – 6 or + 6. Yet another type is called deprivation amblyopia that happens because of surgery or maybe the patient had a cataract because of which one eye is not working. One is refractive and reverse amblyopia.

The causes are all different, but in most cases, amblyopic patients will have some kind of refractive error. And, it is all about the brain and the eye not being in sync together.
It is important to note that a child with amblyopia rarely has any symptoms.
There was a big Myth that amblyopia cannot be treatable after 10-12 years of age but now with latest techniques in place it is treatable at any age. Earlier the diagnosis, the more successful is the outcome. Until recently, Patching of better Seeing Eye was the only option considered and only proven method of treating amblyopia. Recent research has shown that a binocular approach to treating amblyopia may be an effective alternative to patch and Vision Therapy has proved it.