The Problem

Preventable Blindness in Marginalized Communities

India has the highest burden of preventable blindness in the world. Despite national progress in healthcare, millions–especially the elderly, rural poor, and leprosy-affected–till lack access to basic eye care. For these communities, even treatable conditions like cataracts can lead to permanent, life-altering vision loss.

Two Overlapping Crises

#1 Cataracts and Aging

Cataracts are the leading cause of blindness in India, especially among those aged 50 and above. Although cataract surgery is simple and highly effective, it remains out of reach for large parts of the rural population due to:

Lack of awareness
Distance from hospitals
High cost of private care
Overburdened or inaccessible government schemes

12 million people in India are blind. Over 66% of blindness in people aged 50+ is due to cataracts.

#2 Leprosy and Neglect

Though declared “eliminated” in 2005, leprosy has not been eradicated in India. Over 1.14 lakh new cases were reported in 2022 (WHO). Thousands of survivors, particularly in colonies like Nimpara (near Kharagpur), continue to live with:

Residual physical disabilities
Ocular complications like lagophthalmos, corneal ulcers, and blindness
Lifelong stigma and social exclusion

Despite being officially recognized as persons with disabilities, leprosy-affected individuals face massive gaps in access to eye care, including:

Government schemes that require difficult certifications
No integration of eye care into long-term leprosy support
Mobile health units that rarely reach remote colonies
No structured follow-up care or disability rehabilitation

Invisible Barriers

Most patients we see are not just underserved, they are completely left out of the system. They:

Cannot afford surgery
Do not know such services exist
Struggle to leave their homes due to stigma or mobility issues
Many have lived for decades without being seen– literally and figuratively.

The Cost of Inaction

Vision loss is linked to poverty, isolation, and depression. Elderly individuals with untreated visual impairment are twice as likely to experience depression

The global cost of lost productivity due to vision impairment is $411 billion per year (WHO, 2021).

We believe sight is a right, and access should never depend on geography, illness, or income.

Let us change that.

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