Mr. Derek W Hodkey, President & CEO, Orbis & Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director – India, Orbis
Our eyes are essential for experiencing the beauty of the world around us, just as a healthy environment is essential for our overall well-being. It’s important to care for our eye health and recognize the profound relationship environmental health has on our vision. Protecting and nurturing our surroundings protects our eye health and also ensures everyone can enjoy a vibrant, clear world.
Orbis takes care of the eyes while taking care of the environment through its initiative, The Green Vision Center (GVC). Currently, 34 GVCs in India are extending their services to remote locations in Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal through partnering with Orbis. The GVC is a forward-thinking concept that upgrades vision centers by integrating clean solar energy, energy-efficient electrical fixtures, and appliances, and high-tech software. The GVC concept stems from a deep concern for the future — not just vision, but also the environment the community will inherit. Incorporating software into this initiative steadily minimizes paper consumption, potentially eliminating the need for paper in outreach settings. Solar energy powered GVCs guarantees uninterrupted, quality eye care for those in need while supporting 11 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of providing access to affordable, clean energy and promoting responsible consumption.
GVCs promote Green Outreach by deploying eBikes for conducting door-to-door screenings and school screenings, anganwadi centers and community camps creating access to primary eye care for the communities. As many as 19 GVCs in Kerala, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal are managed by trained women-led teams. These women-led GVCs encourage more women and girls in the communities to seek eye care, making them more receptive to eye health messages and counseling advice. Additionally, these centers inspire a new generation of women to consider careers in eye health.
Uncorrected Refractive Error (URE) is one of the leading causes of visual impairment. It mainly includes four conditions: nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia. Of these, nearsightedness or myopia is expected to affect nearly 50% of the global population by 2050. With the increased usage of digital devices and poor lifestyle choices, myopia is becoming a significant public health concern. The good part is that managing the majority of myopia cases only requires a simple solution: using prescription eyeglasses. It's important to use these glasses otherwise the condition might gradually lead to blindness. In addition, research has shown that blindness affects a person's social, economic, and psychological well-being and prevents them from realizing their full potential. However, timely detection and intervention can help prevent the situation from worsening.
Orbis' Refractive Error Among Children (REACH) initiative aims to reduce visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive error among school-aged children by raising awareness and providing eye health services. Through this initiative, over 6.2 million children across the country have been screened for various eye conditions and offered treatment and support.
Addressing the gaps in awareness, access, and acceptance of eye health services, Orbis has been working extensively with partners in India for nearly 25 years, empowering people to seek early diagnosis and treatment, thereby transforming lives. With a network of partners across the country, Orbis has been instrumental in establishing and advancing pediatric ophthalmology as a subspecialty in India, with 35 Children's Eye Centers (CECs), enhancing the quality of service delivery and supporting free or subsidized treatment for children with various eye conditions like cataract, squint, refractive errors. These 35 CECs together serve over one million children annually.
Through its comprehensive initiatives, Orbis is making a lasting impact on eye health while also promoting environmental sustainability and gender equality. By integrating clean energy and efficient technologies into its operations, Orbis is committed to not adding to the carbon footprint through its multi-pronged outreach initiatives, ensuring that eye care delivery continues to be sustainable and accessible to all. The focus on empowering women in the communities not only addresses the gender gap in access to healthcare but also inspires future generations to pursue careers in eye health, fostering a culture of health and well-being for the community and taking care of planetary health.
