Delhi's Hidden Epidemic: Millions With Poor Vision Lack Glasses

A recent AIIMS analysis reveals that approximately 60 lakh individuals in Delhi face uncorrected vision issues, impacting both distance and near sight. This represents 29.5% of the city's population, affected by refractive errors or presbyopia, conditions typically manageable with glasses. The study, utilizing the RESAT tool, indicates a high prevalence among older adults, with nearly 70% above 50 requiring correction. Schoolchildren are also significantly affected, with 13.1% experiencing defective vision due to refractive errors.

Despite the scale of the problem, access to vision correction remains incomplete, with only about 59.8% of those needing distance correction and 47.1% needing near correction being covered. The report highlights that women have lower access to spectacles than men. Delhi's eye care infrastructure shows significant private sector dominance, with public facilities having limited capacity. Shortages of trained mid-level eye care personnel and functioning vision centers at the primary care level further exacerbate the issue.

Barriers to care are numerous, including uneven service coverage, affordability of spectacles, and limited outreach to vulnerable groups. However, a pilot project in Trilokpuri demonstrated a successful model using ASHA workers for door-to-door screening and distribution of reading glasses, achieving over 81% coverage. Experts advocate for expanding vision centers, enhancing workforce training, and increasing school screening programs to address the widespread need for timely vision correction.