90% of Corneal Diseases Preventable If Tackled Systematically and Strategically
SME World|February 2020
According to a study by the World Health Organization in 2016, 15 million people in India are blind, and that accounts for 50% of the world's blind population. The study suggests that about 285 million people have visual impairment globally. This includes 39 million individuals who are blind and an additional 246 million who have poor vision.
90% of Corneal Diseases Preventable If Tackled Systematically and Strategically

Alcon is the global leader in eye care, dedicated to helping people see brilliantly. With our 70-plus-year heritage, we are the largest eye care device company in the world – with complementary businesses in Surgical and Vision Care. Being a truly global company, we work in over 70 countries and serve patients in more than 140 countries. We have a long history of industry firsts, and each year we commit a substantial amount in Research and Development to meet customer needs and patient demands.

SME WORLD in an email interaction with Sandeep Bothra, Country Business Head, Surgical at Alcon, India

What are the principle reasons for the widespread blindness in the Indian populace?

Cataracts are the single-largest disease-centric cause for blindness in India and account for nearly 63 percent of the total visually impaired in the country, according to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). Another factor contributing to blindness in India is Diabetic Retinopathy. Unchecked diabetes over a period starts affecting the retina, damaging the tiny blood vessels, leading to complete loss of vision if left untreated. Apart from Diabetic Retinopathy, there are multiple age-related eye ailments as well that are prevalent in the country, such as presbyopia and age-related macular degeneration. While some of these conditions are more of an inconvenience, others could lead to complete vision loss and dependency. The lack of widespread awareness about eye health, preventative care and treatment options, millions in our country continue to believe myths associated with eye care treatment, delaying timely intervention impacting quality of vision.

This story is from the February 2020 edition of SME World.

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This story is from the February 2020 edition of SME World.

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