VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) Activity Report: 1st July 2023 to 30th September 2023
Mission
To provide eye-screening, primary eye-care services, and eye-health advice to the people at the bottom of the socio-economic pyramid.
Current Scenario
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, more than 700 million people in the developing world struggle with poor life quality due to bad eyesight. It is estimated that uncorrected vision results in $227 billion in lost productivity to the global economy. In India alone, an estimated 550 million (55 Crore) people require eyeglasses for vision correction. Blurry vision compromises one’s ability to work effectively, to read and learn in school, and to navigate surroundings with ease and safety. For many living in developing countries suffering from vision loss, a pair of eyeglasses could mean the difference between opportunity and loss of income and quality of life.
Activities
VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) is an NGO (not-for-profit) that does eye screening for the poor people, provides primary eye-care services, and eye health advice with FCRA Registration Number: 231661855. VSF also has the facility of providing eyeglasses to those who need them. VSF conducts community outreach activities and free eye-screening camps. The mobile eyecare units (vans) go to the remote interiors and provide last mile vision-care services to the poor. VSF also provides eye-care/eye-health advice centres and refers patients with complex eye diseases (such as cataract, etc.) to the nearest eye hospital. VSF helps change the lives of the poor people in India by aiding in restoring their vision.
VisionSpring Foundation (VSF) has received FCRA grant amount from 1st January 2020 to 30th September 2023 as per the table below:
VSF collaborated with multiple mission-aligned organisations/bodies as mentioned below:
Testimonial: Goodricke Tea Estate
Name: Anjali Bhumej
Gender: Female
Occupation: Tea leaf picker
Location: Darjeeling
Anjali was struggling with her impaired eyesight. Her poor and blurry vision hampered her ability to identify and select the right leaves for plucking. This led to reduced productivity. After getting herself screened for vision, she noticed a difference in her eyesight which made it simpler for her to work. She expressed her gratitude to the whole team and expressed her happiness for being allowed to choose her eyeglasses.
*Note: 20,397 eye-screenings were done during the period of 1st August 2023 to 30th September 2023 and 11,448 eyeglasses were dispensed. The program is currently operational and is expected to be completed by 31st December 2023.
B. Improving the lives and productivity of artisans, weavers and their households in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Punjab through COVID safe eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses.
The objective of the program was to reach out to 84,835 artisans, weavers, and their households in the artisans and weavers’ clusters of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Punjab through eye-screenings and distribute 58,704 eyeglasses to those who require, as well as includes the referral of cataract and other complex eye disease cases to nearby hospitals for further diagnosis and potential treatment.
Between 1st July 2023 to 30th September 2023, 84,835 weavers, artisans, spinners, and their household were screened for vision in the weaver and artisan clusters of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Punjab and 58,704 eyeglasses were provided to those who required them. Those with complex eye diseases were referred to the Government/other hospitals in the area for further diagnosis and treatment. This program was in collaboration with:
1. Venkatagiri Municipality in Venkatagiri (Andhra Pradesh)
2. Society for North-East Handmade Paper Development (SNEHPAD) in Jorhat and Golaghat (Assam)
3.IWA Silk Farmer Producer (ISFPCL) in Kamrup (Assam)
4. Shree Sai Kala Krida and Sanskrutik Mandal Kolhapur in Ichalkaranji (Maharashtra)
5. Village Care Society in Nagpur (Maharashtra)
6. Society for Development of Human Resources through Handloom and Allied Activities (SHRADDHA) in Nuapatan (Odisha)
7. Jaipur Rugs Foundation in Alwar, Jaipur, Mirzapur, Bhadohi, and Ajmer (Rajasthan)
8. Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) in Jaipur and Bikaner (Rajasthan), Agra and Firozabad (Uttar Pradesh), and Howrah (West Bengal)
9. ACCESS Development Services in Kota (Rajasthan), Bishnupur (West Bengal), Maheshwar (Madhya Pradesh), and Nuapatna (Odisha)
Eye-Screening Statistics*: 1st July 2023 to 30th September 2023
1. Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 84,835 weavers, artisans, spinners, and their household in the weaver and artisan clusters of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Punjab in India, among them 49.7% (n = 42,224) were males and 50.3% (n = 42,067) were females.
2. Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 70% (n = 58,704) of all the screened individuals identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3. Referrals made for the screened population: 19% (n = 10,937) have been referred to the hospitals out of whom 70% (n = 7,624) identified with suspected cataract and 30% (n = 3,313) identified with other complex eye diseases had been referred for further diagnosis to tertiary care hospitals and/or community health centres.
4. Eyeglasses distribution: 86% (n = 50,488) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 53% (n = 26,593) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 38% (n = 19,222) and Pre-Cuts: 9% (n = 4,727).
5. First Time Wearers (FTWs): 88% (n = 44,504) of the people who received their eyeglasses got their first ever pair of eyeglasses through the eye screening camps.
6. Post-coverage rate in the population was 86%.
D. Improving the lives and educational outcomes of children through the provision of eyeglasses.
Locations: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi in India.
VSF conducted eye screenings of 25,133 children and provided 21,310 eyeglasses from 1st July 2023 to 30th September 2023. These eyeglasses helped children to see clearly and improved learning outcomes as 70% of learning is through vision. It helps children to actively participate in school and would contribute in making their future bright.
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st July 2023 to 30th September 2023
1. Distribution of children screened: Screened 25,133 children in various states of India.
Eyeglasses distribution: 21,310 eyeglasses were distributed to the children who had refractive error.
2. First Time Wearers (FTWs): Out of all the eyeglasses distributed to the children, 90% were First-Time Wearers (FTWs) of eyeglasses.
Programs/Program Undertaken between 1st July 2023 to 30th September 2023:
A. Improving the lives and productivity of Tea tribes (tea garden workers and their families/dependents) through COVID safe eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses, in association with the Tea Estates in Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.
Background and Scope:
During the period of 1st July 2023 till 30th September 2023, a total of 39,467 tea tribes and their household members were screened in the tea estates of Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, India and 20,196 eyeglasses were provided to those who required them. Those with complex eye diseases were referred to the Government/other hospitals in the area for further diagnosis and treatment. This program was conducted in collaboration with the following organisations:
1. Tea garden workers and their families/dependents located in following locations of Assam, India:
*Goodricke Tea, Sivasagar , Jorhat , Mangalda, Lakhimpur, Sonitpur, and Cachar
*Rungamattee Tea, Golaghat
*Ghillidary Tea Estate, Golaghat
*Jalannagar Group of Tea Estates, Bahadur
*Tingamira Tea Estates, Tinsukia
*Dinjoye Tea Estate, Dibrugarh
*Chota Tingrai Tea Estate, Tinsukia
*Mokalbari Kanoi Tea Estate, Dibrugarh
*New Sonwal Tea, Mariani District, Jorhat
*Rossell Tea, Dikom, Namsang
*Romai Tea Estates, Dibrugarh
*Kharikatia Tea Estate, Jorhat
*Nagrijuli Tea Estate, Baksa
*Nokhroy Tea Estate, Tinsukia
*Kamakhyabari Tea, Sivasagar
*Rossell Tea, Namsang
*Romai Tea Estate, Dibrugarh
2. Tea garden workers and their families/dependents located in following locations of Tamil Nadu, India:
*Rousdonmullai Estate, Nilgiris
3. Tea garden workers and their families/dependents located in following locations of West Bengal, India:
*Goodricke Group, Dooars and Darjeeling
Eye-Screening Statistics*: 1st July 2023 to 30th September 2023
1. Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 39,467 tea pickers and their households in the tea estates of Assam, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, India, among them 49% (n = 19,535) were males and 51% (n = 19,931) were females.
2. Refractive error (poor vision) rate among the screened population: 62% (n = 24,374) of all the screened individuals identified with refractive error/presbyopia.
3. Referrals made for the screened population: 11.26% (n = 4,445) have been referred to the hospitals out of whom 68.36% (n = 3,039) identified with suspected cataract and 31.64% (n = 1,406) identified with other complex eye diseases had been referred for further diagnosis to tertiary care hospitals and/or community health centres.
4. Eyeglasses distribution: 82.85% (n = 20,196) of all population identified with refractive error/presbyopia received eyeglasses; Reading Glasses: 63% (n = 12,828), Pre-cuts: 7% (n = 1,378) and Prescription (Rx) Glasses: 30% (n = 5,990).
5. First Time Wearers (FTWs): 96.6% (n = 19,511) of the people who received their eyeglasses got their first ever pair of eyeglasses through the eye screening camps.
6. Post-coverage rate in the population was 82.85%.
Testimonial:
Name: Gauri
Gender: Female
Age: 14 years
Occupation: Student
Gauri shared that she had been facing problems with her eyesight for almost 2 to 3 months. She was also facing difficulty in seeing the blackboard and had a constant headache but didn’t think it could be related to her eyes, and thus, she never got her eyes checked. She was happy to be a part of VSF organised eye-screening program that was conducted in her school. Now after receiving her eyeglasses, she is able to see everything clearly.
Testimonial: Society for Development of Human Resources through Handloom and Allied Activities (SHRADDHA)
Name: Sabitri Das
Gender: Female
Age: 58 years
Occupation: Weaver
Location: Odisha
She was facing constant headaches and was unable to position the threads precisely. After registering herself for eye test she consulted the optometrist was provided with a pair of eyeglasses. She was satisfied with the comfortable glasses that gave her a feeling of confidence that she would be able to complete her work with precision and without any hassles as her vision was clear and improved. She expressed her gratitude to the VSF team and emphasised the need for such programs.
*Note: 17,496 eye-screenings were done during the period of 1st July 2023 to 30th September 2023 and 11,544 eyeglasses were dispensed. The program is currently operational and is expected to be completed by 31st December 2023.
C. Improving the quality of lives and productivity of the factory workers including improved workplace safety by conducting the Clear Vision Workplaces program in the factories in India, through COVID safe eye-screenings and provision of eyeglasses
Background and Scope:
VisionSpring Foundation’s Clear Vision Workplace program is designed to increase the coverage of vision screening and eyeglass wearing for working-age adults in India. Teams work with brands, national factory associations and individual factory management teams to integrate into the workplace regular eye-screening and increase workers’ access to high quality, affordable eyeglasses.
Eye-Screening Statistics: 1st July 2023 to 30th September 2023
1.Distribution of people screened: Screened a total of 3,860 factory workers in the factories of Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) in Delhi NCR and Shahi Exports based in Bengaluru (Karnataka) in India.
2 .Eyeglasses distribution: Total 144 eyeglasses were distributed.