Sankara Eye Hospital (SEH), Bangalore in association with Sightsavers International, UK launched the ‘Nanna Kannu’ initiative. The programme has also roped in the government of Karnataka to reach out to underprivileged children. The programme objective is to screen and treat eye diseases and is expected to benefit over 150, 000 children over the next three years.

The common common eye disorders faced by children are Myopia, Lazy eyes, Monocular vision (vision in one eye), Squint, Cataract, Diabetic Retinopathy. According to Sankara Eye Hospital early detection could control the occurrence of these disorders among this age group.

According to Dr Kaushik Murali, Consultant Ophthalmologist and director, Nanna Kannu Program, Sankara Eye Hospital, “Eye disorders in children are common and many of them can be cured with early detection. We have a comprehensive eye care program for children called the ‘Nanna Kannu’ Program. The project aims to provide preventive, curative and rehabilitative eye care for deprived children across Karnataka. Sankara Eye Hospital has until now reached more than 31,000 children who have been screened for eye problems and provided with further treatment wherever necessary. This initiative will now be spread out in other parts of the state in order to serve more needy children.”

According to Dr Mahesh Shanmugam, head Vitreaoretinal & Oncology Department of SEH, majority of children face preventable and curable eye disorder as 80 percent of blindness is curable. Early detection and regular eye check ups can prevent these disorders among them. It’s very important for a parent or a teacher of a visually challenged child to understand and support the child to deal with this problem.

With 8 state-of-the-art eye hospitals in Coimbatore, Guntur, Krishnankovil, Bangalore, Shimoga, Anand, Pammal and Silvassa, Sankara Eye Care Institutions provides support through the 'Gift of Vision' rural outreach eye care programme. So far it has conducted 7,594 free weekly eye screening camps, and performed in excess of 525,000 free eye surgeries.

Sightsavers International is a registered UK charity that works in more than 30 developing countries to prevent blindness, restore sight and advocate for social inclusion and equal rights for people who are blind and visually impaired. There are 45 million blind people in the world, 80 per cent of all blindness can be prevented or cured. Since 1950, Sightsavers has restored sight to more than 5.65 million people and treated over 100 million.