What is a Vision Centre?
A vision centre is a small, permanent facility set up to provide primary eye care services to semi-rural and rural communities. Ophthalmic assistants operate the centre, but With the help of telemedicine, patients can consult ophthalmologists in the base hospital and avail treatment. Those with complicated problems are referred to the hospital.
About Vision Centre
Universal coverage in eye care through tele-medicine enabled vision centre. This model is being replicated in various Indian states and several regions of Bangladesh.
Aravind Vision Centre Network
Impact of Vision Centres
Vision Centers
Population Covered
OP Visits in a year
Spectacles dispensed
Researches show that permanent eye care facilities in rural areas motivate people to seek earlier treatment for vision problems, allowing them to reintegrate back into the workforce instead of becoming visually impaired. This new pattern of proactively seeking eye care before it is too late makes the role of vision centres even more crucial in an eye care institutions mix of outreach initiatives. Of the patients who seek care at these centres, over 90% can be fully treated on-site and less than 10% are referred to the base hospital for further treatment, usually for surgery or advanced investigations. Vision Centres have been able to achieve much higher penetration of those in need of eye care. These centres have been able to reach more than 90% of those who need care within four years.
Universal Coverage
Universal coverage in eye care through telemedicine enabled vision centre. This model is being replicated in various Indian states and several regions of Bangladesh.
Replicating the model
Apart from expanding its own network of Vision Centres, Aravind is currently working with Governments and other eye care providers in India and around the developing world to create easy access to good eye care for several million people. They are all in different stages of establishing several Vision Centres as a pilot. Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC), the world’s largest NGO has established three vision centres as a pilot venture, with Aravind’s full involvement. BRAC intends to scale it up to 20 centres immediately and eventually expand it across the nation. In Bangladesh, Aravind also works with the government to help increase the number of vision centres and so far has set up 20 centres. Aravind is supporting the states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand towards establishing vision centres. The plan is to open 40 centres in Chhattisgarh and 22 in Jharkhand.