About 150-300 million people in the country can’t see properly, severely hampering their ability to work or carry out their daily tasks. And, this is hitting the country’s economy hard.

Visual impairments could reduce the country’s GDP by 0.47 per cent to 0.7 per cent, amounting to about ₹1,158 billion.

The report, Reading Glasses, and Livelihood - Challenges and Pathways to Scale Access in India, points out the seemingly insurmountable challenge has an easy solution – giving the visually impared a pair of glasses, which cost just ₹100 a piece.

“The cost is as little as $1-2. Yet, these glasses remain out of reach for millions due to a complex web of challenges. Poverty, lack of awareness, and lack of access to vision centres in rural areas create a formidable barrier,” it points out..

“Uncorrected presbyopia, or age-related farsightedness, affects nearly half the population over 30 in India,” said Indu Bhushan, Founding CEO of Ayushman Bharat.

Amit Gupta, Chief Operating Officer of The/Nudge Institute, says that the issue can be addressed by spending about $600 million, with the bulk (90 per cent) handled through the existing health and welfare schemes.

HR shortages

The country faces a severe shortage of optometrists, impacting testing. “With only one available for every 1.80 lakh people, compared to one per 10,000 or fewer in developed countries, we face a shortage of optometrists.

Pegging the spectacles market in the country at $3.3 billion, the report said the average price of a pair of eyeglasses in India is around ₹770. The reading glasses market holds little value for top players in the eyewear industry due to the presence of numerous small players, both online and offline, leading to low margins.

Misconceptions

Quoting from a pilot project, it said despite widespread awareness, two-thirds of the population has never had their eyes tested, often due to concerns about the cost of screening or managing without eyeglasses.

“The majority believe that eye screenings cost at least ₹1,000, and 90 per cent think eyeglasses are priced above ₹1,000. This perception is reinforced by the experiences of those who have sought eyeglasses, with most reporting costs exceeding ₹1,000 after visiting a doctor,” it felt.

The report suggests that the government can involve the self-help groups, ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activists), and non-governmental organisations to address the issue and reach out to those in need of glasses.

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