Optician India

Sightsavers India and Maxivision Super Speciality Eye Hospitals bring eye care closer through Mobile Vision Centre Across States for 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 Maxivision Eye Hospitals Private Limited worked together to expand eye care services in low-income neighborhoods of Ahmedabad through the Urban Eye Health Programme of Sightsavers India. 

During this period, the initiative screened 14,290 individuals, provided 2,032 spectacles, and identified 2,314 people with cataract for referral, while 686 individuals were screened 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.

Through its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative, Maxivision Super Speciality Eye Hospitals supported the Urban Eye Health programme, recognizing the importance of preventive and primary eye care. Sightsavers India, working in the country since 1966 to eliminate avoidable blindness, brought its experience in community eye health and network of implementing partners to deliver services directly within communities. Together, the partnership helped bring essential eye care closer to those who needed it most.

RN Mohanty, CEO of Sightsavers India said “Clear vision shapes everyday life in ways we often take for granted. For many people, receiving a pair of spectacles or being referred to for cataract treatment can mean returning to work, reading comfortably, or simply moving around with confidence. Yet many families do not have the time or resources to travel far for an eye check-up. By taking services directly into communities through the Mobile Vision Centre, we were able to ensure that people could get their vision tested, receive spectacles and seek treatment when needed. Partnerships like this help bring essential eye care within reach of those who might otherwise go without it.”

According to Maxivision Super Speciality Eye Hospitals “Preventive care plays a vital role in building healthier communities, and eye health is an important part of that. Through this partnership, we were able to support early detection of vision problems and help ensure that people receive timely care. By working alongside Sightsavers India, we were able to extend eye care services beyond hospital settings and into communities where access can often be limited. It is encouraging to see how collaborative efforts like this can help more people receive the care they need and protect their vision.

At the heart of the initiative was a Mobile Vision Centre, designed to bring primary eye care services directly into underserved communities. The mobile clinic operated across neighborhoods in Ahmedabad, conducting outreach eye screening camps in locations identified through a slum mapping exercise to better understand areas. The programme aimed to increase access to eye care, promote early detection of vision problems, and raise long-term awareness about the importance of regular eye check-ups.

The clinic was equipped with diagnostic tools enabling trained teams to identify refractive errors, cataract and diabetic retinopathy. Individuals with refractive errors were provided spectacles, while those requiring further diagnosis or treatment were referred to partner hospitals. A dedicated team consisting of a project coordinator, optometrist and community health worker supported the activities on the ground. Prior to screening camps, community mobilization was carried out through announcements, community meetings and the distribution of eye health information materials. Conduct awareness activities encouraged participation from women, elderly individuals and other vulnerable groups, promoting the importance of regular eye check-ups.