Sankara Eye Hospital (SEH), Bangalore and Shimoga in association with Sightsavers International (SSI), UK have now joined hands to focus on early diagnosis in children to control eye disorders. It will now carry out screening of  common eye ailments in children, retinoblastoma, and address difficulties faced by visually challenged children.

Among the experts involved are Dr S Halkatti, Joint Director, Dept of Ophthalmology, Govt. of Karnataka, Dr Kaushik Murali, Director Nanna Kannu, Dr Madhu Kumar, Consultant , Retina and Ocular Oncology Services, SEH and Srinivas, CEO, National Association for Blind, Karnataka.

The objective of the collaboration with the Sightsavers International is to educate parents to  identify symptoms of eye troubles, stages and diagnosis of eye cancer which could save the young patient if treated early.

The common symptoms faced by children such as Myopia, Lazy eyes, Monocular vision (vision in one eye), Squint, Cataract, some Retinal Ailments can be prevented through early detection.

According to Dr Kaushik Murali, Consultant Ophthalmologist and Director – Nanna Kannu, SEH, “Various interventions have shown vision problems to affect approximately one in 20 pre-schoolers. They also affect one in four school children. Though usually treatable, without early detection and treatment, children's vision problems can lead to: permanent vision loss and learning difficulties, he added.

Under the ‘Nanna Kannu’ Programme of Sankara Eye Hospital in association with Sightsavers International over  31,000 children have been screened for eye problems and provided with further treatment and rehabilitation.

The eye care major also has  a ‘Gift of Vision’ outreach eye care programme which has benefited many including children in the state.

Sankara Eye Care Institutions has 8 state-of-the-art eye hospitals in Coimbatore, Guntur, Krishnankovil, Bangalore, Shimoga, Anand, Pammal and Silvassa, It  has conducted 7,594 free weekly eye screening camps, and performed in excess of 525,000 free eye surgeries.