VisionSpring and Impact India foundation joined hands in September 2015, to introduce primary eye care services as a part of existing medical facilities of the Hospital on wheels, Lifeline express. With the support of Impact India Foundation and Mahindra & Mahindra team, VisionSpring took eyeglasses to the city of Bharatpur, Rajasthan and extended it to Ghazipur. As a part of this intervention, we were able to screen 10,000+ people and dispense 4200+ pairs of eyeglasses. After seeing a successful execution and remarkable response from the community in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, and Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, Impact India Foundation and VisionSpring decided to implement the same project and take it to the next location, i.e. Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh.

1. Impact India Foundation Lifeline Express, Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India
30 March 2016 1
Impact India Foundation
Lifeline Express
Eye Screening Intervention
Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Date of submission – 3/04/2016
Prepared for – Impact India Foundation
Prepared by – VisionSpring

2. Impact India Foundation Lifeline Express, Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India
30 March 2016 2
VisionSpring: We’re restoring more than vision
About VisionSpring
Dr. Jordan Kassalow founded VisionSpring (www.visionspring.org), a not-for-profit international healthcare
organization in 2001. VisionSpring aims to enable access to affordable eye care for low-income individuals
suffering from vision impairment in developing countries.
The Challenge According to the World Health Organization estimates, more than 700 million people in the
developing world struggle with poor life quality due to bad eyesight. It is estimated that uncorrected vision
results in $202 billion in lost productivity to the global economy. Yet, 544 million people around the world
could have their vision restored with a simple pair of reading glasses.
In India alone, an estimated 300 million people require eyeglasses for vision correction. Blurry vision
compromises one’s ability to work effectively, to read and learn in school, and to navigate surroundings with
ease and safety. For many living in developing countries suffering from vision loss, a pair of eyeglasses could
mean the difference between opportunity and loss of income and quality of life.
The Quick and Simple Solution: VisionSpring reduces the exclusivity and expense associated with reading
glasses and makes it easily accessible and affordable to Bottom of the Pyramid customers. VisionSpring is an
Associate Member of the World Health Organization’s Vision 2020 consortium and contributes towards its
global initiative of eliminating avoidable blindness. VisionSpring has its global headquarters in New York (USA)
and its India head office is located in New Delhi.
Global VisionSpring operations: Since its inception, VisionSpring has impacted lives in more than 25
countries around the world.
Figure 1: Global VisionSpring Operations

3. Impact India Foundation Lifeline Express, Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India
30 March 2016 3
VisionSpring India
VisionSpring started its India operations in 2005. The basic tenets that drives VisionSpring are:
“If you can’t see, you can’t work”, for those who work in the textile industry, local tailors, rug
makers, bike mechanics, weavers, artisans, and anyone who needs to see up close for their
profession, the loss of near vision during prime working years can affect their ability to earn a living
and support a family.
“If you can’t see, you can’t learn”, catching eye checkup at an early age helps students keep pace
with the curriculum and achieve better grades and opportunities in later life.
“If you can’t see, you can’t be safe”, poor vision is one of the leading causes of road and industrial
accidents worldwide. Our focus is to ensure that we save the lives of millions of people directly and
indirectly affected by ensuring that they have the awareness and access to a pair of glasses.
VisionSpring partners with like-minded organizations to provide primary eye care services to
grassroots communities across the country. Some of our partners are listed below:
Our key partners

4. Impact India Foundation Lifeline Express, Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India
30 March 2016 4
An Eye screening Intervention at Bhadohi, Impact India Foundation
Lifeline Express
Background: VisionSpring and Impact India foundation joined hands in September 2015, to
introduce primary eye care services as a part of existing medical facilities of the Hospital on wheels,
Lifeline express. With the support of Impact India Foundation and Mahindra & Mahindra team,
VisionSpring took eyeglasses to the city of Bharatpur, Rajasthan and extended it to Ghazipur. As a
part of this intervention, we were able to screen 10,000+ people and dispense 4200+ pairs of
eyeglasses.
After seeing a successful execution and remarkable response from the community in Bharatpur,
Rajasthan, and Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, Impact India Foundation and VisionSpring decided to
implement the same project and take it to the next location, i.e. Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh.
Objective: Conducting eye-screening camps and dispensing eyeglasses to those who require them
through the Lifeline Express Project at Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Implemented by: VisionSpring
Dates: February 28, 2016 to March 1, 2016
Project Summary
Bhadohi, a remote town in Uttar Pradesh, India was the destination for the third leg of the Lifeline
Express eye screening intervention. The location is remote and has very low penetration of primary
eye care services. It is also known as the "Carpet City," as it is home to the largest hand-knotted carpet
weaving industry hub in South Asia.
The Lifeline Express project is excellent initiative to help the people living in these remote areas with
no or low accessibility to affordable eye care facilities. VisionSpring provided high-quality eye-
screening and eyeglass through this project.
The Lifeline Express, was stationed at Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, between February 28 - March 1, 2016.
VisionSpring deputed 8 people for this project, consisting of 4 Optometrists, 1 camp coordinator and
1 sales executive. VisionSpring completed the project under strict supervision within the stipulated
timelines as defined by the Impact India Foundation team. The team screened more than 4000
people over the course of 3 days and dispensed 2361 eyeglasses.
The Impact India Foundation did a remarkable job of arranging this project, which allowed for
screening and surgical treatment for the patients who required it, on the train itself.
Impact India Foundation was responsible for marketing and community mobilization, as a result of
which the turnout at the project site was excellent.

5. Impact India Foundation Lifeline Express, Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India
30 March 2016 5
Key Achievements
Project Snapshot
Project location: Bhadohi, Uttar
Pradesh, India
Project start date: 28th
February
2016
Project end date: 1st
March 2016
No. of people screened: 4262
No. of glasses distributed: 2361
4262 people screened for
refractive error
55% (2361) of the total population had a vision error,
and were provided a pair of eyeglass
Enhanced overall quality of life of
people impacted
Aided towards a potential increase in earning
capacity and overall productivity of every
individual who received a pair of eyeglasses

6. Impact India Foundation Lifeline Express, Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India
30 March 2016 6
Lifeline Express, Eye Screening Intervention – Comparative Analysis
2015-16 (Bharatpur – Ghazipur – Bhadohi)
4441
5232
4262
2170 2071 2361
People Screened Eyeglasses Dispensed
Bharatpur, Rajasthan
Ghazipur, U.P
Bhadohi, U.P
Of the total population screened 47.5% were detected with near vision problem
and received a pair of eyeglasses
Key Learnings from the Intervention
1) At all Lifeline Express camps, the refractive error rate among the population screened is
high. As a result, the need for corrective eyeglasses is high. At all camps, VisionSpring team
ran out of eyeglasses within a few days. The number of eyeglasses to be dispensed at
Lifeline express should be increased to fulfil the need in future projects.
2) Under the current model, we are only able to serve the population that has a near vision
problem through dispensing of reading glasses. Patients with a distance vision problem are
given a prescription card. To address the unmet requirement of distance vision eyeglasses,
we suggest introducing pre-cuts (prescription eyeglasses) as a part of our stock of
eyeglasses dispensed on the camp site. This will allow us to serve the need for eyeglasses
for 80% of the population.

7. Impact India Foundation Lifeline Express, Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India
30 March 2016 7
Our Intervention in Pictures

8. Impact India Foundation Lifeline Express, Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh, India
30 March 2016 8
Conclusion
Through the Lifeline Express, we were able to provide high-quality and affordable eye care
services Bhadohi, which would otherwise have limited to no access to similar facilities. Uttar
Pradesh has underdeveloped rural healthcare infrastructure and the VisionSpring’s inclusion
in the Lifeline express was key to create immediate impact for a massive number of people.
Vote of thanks:
We would like to thank Mahindra and Mahindra for including VisionSpring in the lifeline
Express. The extraordinary reach of the innovative Lifeline Express project helped
VisionSpring reach people at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid. We hope to
continue our association with the Lifeline Express.