Karnataka govt signs MoU with Zeiss for free eye-care services in Kalaburgi

Bengaluru: Over 11 lakh people from Kalaburgi, including five lakh plus children, will be eligible for free eye testing and prescription of glasses, according to a new Memorandum of Understanding between Karnataka government and Carl Zeiss India.

The MoU, which was signed in the presence of Priyank Kharge, Minister of Rural Development and Panchayat Raj, is expected to improve eye-care services and screening in rural Karnataka.

The programme, named as “Vidya Drishti”, is a CSR initiative of the German-based company which has been providing eye-care services across 25 states at subsidised rates.

However, in Kalaburgi, the services are going to be completely free of cost along with prescription of spectacles if needed which will be provided without charges.

After signing the MoU, Priyank Kharge noted that there is a high need for providing free eye screening services in rural areas as they may not be able to afford consultations on their own.

Speaking about a similar government initiative “Samadrishti” in his constituency, Chittapur, which was introduced before the Covid-19 pandemic, he said that free eye care facilities help rural population to get adequate and timely treatment. He also said that students have shown remarkable improvement in their academic performance after getting a free eye-check up earlier.

“A child’s ability to see clearly should not be a privilege—it should be their right!. A child who cannot see clearly cannot learn effectively,” he said.

Under “Vidya Drishti”, optometrists from both parties along with “Zeiss Aloka Van – a mobile eye screening unit”, stationed in the Kalaburagi district, will aim to screen 5.32 lakh school children aged 5 to 16 and provide prescription glasses to those in need. Additionally, six lakh underprivileged population aged above 39 also will be screened as part of this drive. The programme will be executed in a span of two years and will begin in the next three months.

The initiative is also expected to initiate a skill-building programme for the eye-care professionals in the region. “The objective is to foster professional development, provide career advancement opportunities and ensure best patient outcomes Kalaburagi,” said Dhaval Radia, Chief Financial Officer of Carl Zeiss, Bengaluru.

Zeiss in Karnataka

The German-based optical systems manufacturer is also expanding its business in lens manufacturing by establishing a plant in Devanahalli. Radia told the media that nearly 50-60 per cent of the construction is completed and that the production will begin by the end of the year.