Optician India

Sightsavers India and DR. Ramalinga Reddy Maxivision Super Speciality Eye Hospitals join hands to bring eye care accessible to the Marginalized

Expanding access to quality eye care requires collective effort from hospitals, civil society organizations and communities. From April 2025 to March 2026, Sightsavers India and DR. Ramalinga Reddy Maxivision Super Speciality Eye Hospitals worked together to bring essential eye care services in low- income neighborhoods of Hyderabad through the Urban Eye Health Programme of Sightsavers India.

During this period, DR. Ramalinga Reddy Maxivision Super Speciality Eye Hospitals has supported Hyderabad Private Vision Centre which has screened 5,276 individuals, provided 687 spectacles, and identified 844 people with cataract for referral and Hyderabad UPHC Vision Centre which has screened 6,179 individuals, identified 577 people with cataract for referral and screened 370 people for diabetic retinopathy. The initiative focused on reaching marginalized communities, migrant workers and families living in urban slums who often face barriers in accessing timely eye care.

Rapid urbanization has led to the growth of densely populated settlements where many migrant workers and low-income families face barriers to timely eye care, even when hospitals are nearby.

In response to this, the partnership of Sightsavers India and DR. Ramalinga Reddy Maxivision Super Speciality Eye Hospitals is expanding access to quality eye care in Hyderabad through Community Vision Centers and strengthened services at Urban Primary Health Centers (UPHCs).Through these combined efforts, the partnership has already helped expand access to essential eye care services and detect early vision problems for thousands of people in Hyderabad.

RN Mohanty, CEO of Sightsavers India said “Addressing avoidable vision impairment in urban settings requires collaborative efforts between development organisations, healthcare providers and public health systems. Through our partnership with DR. Ramalinga Reddy Maxivision Super Speciality Eye Hospitals and our engagement with Urban Primary Health Centres, we are supporting efforts to make eye care services more accessible at the community level. Initiatives like this demonstrate how coordinated action can help strengthen urban eye health services and ensure that people are able to access care closer to where they live.”

According to Dr. Ramalinga Reddy Maxivision Super Speciality Eye Hospitals “Hospital-based care is only one part of the eye health ecosystem. Collaborations that link specialised medical services with community outreach and public health systems are essential for expanding access to care. Through this partnership, we are working together to ensure that more people can receive timely eye examinations and appropriate treatment.”

To strengthen access to eye care, the programme focuses on two complementary approaches. Community Vision Centers, staffed by trained optometrists and health workers, provide eye examinations, spectacles, and referrals, while Urban Primary health Centers (UPHCs) are being equipped with trained personnel and essential resources to integrate eye care into routine health services. These facility-based services are further supported by outreach camps in underserved neighborhoods, along with community meetings, public announcements, and eye health awareness materials that encourage beneficiaries to go for regular eye check-ups. The programme has already improved access to essential eye care for thousands of people, helping detect vision problems early and connecting individuals with the treatment they need.