Dr. K. Prabhakar presented a sight care model to address visual impairment among millions globally. The model trains vision care technicians through short courses to diagnose and treat refractive errors. It aims to address the shortage of eye care professionals in a low-cost and sustainable way. The technicians operate from their homes and conduct screenings to provide affordable eyeglasses. Monitoring shows most new patients come through referrals. The model is cost-effective for rural patients and provides employment while being designed for scalability and replication in multiple states.

1. SIGHT CARE MODEL TO REACH MILLIONS AT THE BOTTOM OF PYRAMID
Presentation by
Dr.K.Prabhakar,Professor,SRM University
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Global Conference on Social Marketing and
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2. FACTS
 There are four levels of visual function
 normal vision
 moderate visual impairment
 severe visual impairment
Low Vision
Visually
Impaired
 blindness.
 285 million people are estimated to be visually
impaired worldwide.
 80% of all visual impairment can be avoided or cured.
Reference:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/
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Global Conference on Social Marketing and
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3. Visual Impairment
 Globally uncorrected
refractive errors( myopia,
hyperopia , astigmatism
and presbyopia ;43% of
total visual impairment)
cause multidimensional
deprivation. Sixty five
percent of visually
impaired people are
above 50 years; causing
loss of livelihood.
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Human Resources
Required
 There are 12,000
Ophthalmologists and
8,000 Optometrists
are available in India.
 The need for
Optometrists is
40,000 for correcting
refractive errors.
12/15/2013

4. Human Resources
 Men and women who completed 12 years of school education.
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There are three tier sequential courses are offered in bilingual (
Tamil and English).
Vision Care Technician ( Three months) (course certificate given
by Sight Care Foundation)
Eye Technician ( one year)
Diploma in Optometry (two Years)
The second and third courses are certified by Bharath Seva
Samaj.
The courses are one time and he vision care technicians are
eligible for the next stage. The vision care technicians are
employed in optical shops where the glasses are generally
dispensed. The model suggested can be effectively operated
from the home of the (VCT).
They are trained to conduct awareness programmes in
churches, schools, anganwadis and urban and rural slums, this
access to service is provided.
Global Conference on Social Marketing and
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12/15/2013

5. Monitoring and Evaluation
The utility of the service is consistently monitored by Sight Care foundation.
Ninety percent of the new patients are from referrals.
 Feasibility
Trial Box
1500
Retinoscope
15000
Chart
100
 Ready Spectacles
9000 (50 numbers)
 The total investment is twenty five thousand and six hundred. The 50 spectacles
may be sold for 15,000/- ( each spectacle for three hundred) and a gross profit of
6,000 may be achieved every month if fifty spectacles are sold every month on
an average. Propriety is ensured by conducting the operations legally. All
certifications are according to norms of the state.
 The candidates take an ethical pledge not to practice quackery and solve only
the issues that are within their competency and refer cases optholomologist in
case question.
 Forms are designed to give appropriate information to patients for further eye
care.
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Global Conference on Social Marketing and
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6. Cost Effectiveness and Sustainability
 The health care intervention is cost effective as
patient from rural area has to spend for to travel and
loss of wages to the tune of seven hundred fifty for
prescription. However, he or she will be able to get a
spectacle for three hundred rupees. The fifty
spectacles design to nudge him or her to make a
decision.
 The model is sustainable as it provides employment
to rural youth and six outlets are in operation. The
model is designed for scalability and replication.
Andhra, Tamilnadu and Odissa are the states in which
the model is already in operation.
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7. 7
Global Conference on Social Marketing and
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8. Distribution
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9. Thank you
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Global Conference on Social Marketing and
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12/15/2013