LVPEI launches two new programmes to improve eye care delivery

City-based L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) on Thursday announced launch of two new programmes to improve eye care delivery.

The Standard Chartered-LVPEIProgramme for Eye Care EducationandTechnology-Enabled Primary Eye Care Services-- Futuristic Vision Centres have been launched in partnership with the Standard Chartered Bank.

The Futuristic Vision Centre model extends the scope of existing vision centres, developed at LVPEI, and is intended to target detection of all chronic eye conditions that were currently beyond the realm of primary eye care.

Currently, the LVPEI vision centre network comprises 180 primary centres spread across the four states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha and Karnataka.

The proposal on the futuristic Vision Centre model is approved by Standard Chartered Bank and the partnership envisages establishing 58 futuristic such centres across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, and Karnataka from 2019 through 2023.

Dr Gullapalli N Rao, Founder and Chair, L V Prasad Eye Institutesaid each technology enabled vision centre is expected to examine 5,000 patients per annum.

"This is expected to not only expedite eye care delivery at the primary level, but also bring about a substantial indirect cost saving to the patients and to the community at large, he said.

The Programme for Eye Care Education pertains to LVPEIs goal of developing a high quality, pan India eye care education framework to address the burden of visual impairment in the country. It will create an innovative and replicable model for high quality eyecare education.

Approximately 20,000 eyecare professionals will benefit through various training programmes offered under the projects combined endeavour in three years, it was stated.

Karuna Bhatia, Head of Sustainability, Standard Chartered Bank, India,said, The Standard Chartered LVPEI Programme for Eye Care Educationenvisages building a programme to create an empowered workforce of high-quality eye care professionals to meet the eye care needs to combat blindness and visual impairment in India.