GPR ICARE

LVPEI's community outreach program, began in May 1998, with the aim of making high-quality, appropriate eye care accessible to all. GPR ICARE focuses on both the geographically removed as well as the economically disadvantaged groups.

• To develop high quality self-sustaining eye care services in neglected areas of India and other parts of the developing world
• To train all cadres of eye care personnel for the provision of and efficient eye care services
• To participate in planning eye health initiatives in the developing world
• To undertake operations and research projects to understand the best way to deliver eye care services to communities

• Efforts to enhance services at secondary centres continue: V C Parekh Eye Centre and Edward and Soona Brown Eye Centre in Andhra Pradesh were upgraded with support from V C Parekh Charitable Trust and NIFF Infrastructure Limited respectively. A new block is under construction at Bhosle Gopal Rao Patil Eye Centre in Telangana. The Pashyantu mobile eye diagnostic unit was launched to cover the rural areas in Telangana State.
• With the addition of 13 new Vision Centres, our Primary Eye Care Network has expanded to 245 centres, serving over 10 million people. Additionally, two existing vision centres were upgraded to technology-enabled Futuristic Vision Centres having advanced ophthalmic diagnostic equipment to diagnose sight-threatening conditions. They also provide care through tele-ophthalmology that helps patients receive advanced eye care near their doorstep.
• The first Simple Limbal Epithelial Transplantation and Corneal Transplant surgeries were successfully performed at Naraindas & Morbai Budhrani Eye Centre in Balasore, Odisha, and Seshanna Chennawar Eye Centre in Adilabad, Telangana, respectively. Additionally, two secondary centres have started providing intravitreal injections. The number of secondary centres offering advanced surgical eye care has now grown to six.
• Focused efforts have strengthened the referral system at LVPEI’s primary eye care centres. The prompt diagnosis of three children with Retinoblastoma (eye cancer), and two children with Congenital Cataracts and Glaucoma, and their quick referral for advanced treatment is evidence of LVPEI’s well-connected network of centres.
• Public health studies funded by USAID, Lions Clubs International Foundation and Gland Pharma investigated the eye health and well-being of vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and certain occupational communities. These studies screened approximately 2,00,000 children, including 3500 children with disabilities, as well as over 3500 elderly and 3000 workers in cloth weaving, garment making, and jewellery making communities.