Inauguration of the Epidemiological Research Study

Aravind has been operating Vision Centres (VCs) for more than two decades. However, there is limited scientific evidence evaluating their population-level impact. To address this knowledge gap, Aravind has initiated a large epidemiological study across seven districts in Tamil Nadu: Dindigul, Karur, Madurai, Pudukkottai, Sivagangai, Tiruchirappalli, and Virudhunagar. The study, titled “Evaluating the Impact of Vision Centres on Reducing Visual Impairment in Rural South India: A Population-Based Comparative Study,” aims to assess the effectiveness of Vision Centres by comparing key eye health indicators between populations living within VC service areas and those in non-service areas.

To mark the launch of this study, the initiative was inaugurated by the chief guest, Dr. S. V. Chandrakumar, Project Director, Tamil Nadu State Blindness Control Society, during an event held at Aravind-Madurai. The event was attended by the survey team, ophthalmologists, AOPs, and field workers.

The findings from this study are expected to provide important evidence on the impact of Vision Centres, which will be valuable for guiding future scale-up efforts and supporting advocacy for community-based eye care models.