Vision Center

The model of Vision Centre is envisaged by the “Vision 2030: The Right to Sight”, a global initiative of the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB). IAPB has unveiled a four-tier pyramid model to provide comprehensive eye care for the needy population, where vision centers are placed at the primary level.

Aligning with this initiative, Sri Sai Eye Hospital (SSEH) — a leading and best eye hospital in Patna — has established 15 Vision Centers at Patna, Ara, Fatuha, Bakhtiyarpur, Barh, Mokama, Barahiya, Chandsarai, Mahanar, Mohaddinagar, Naubatpur, Paliganj, Akhgaon, Main, Kurtha, and Karapi in Bihar.

These Vision Centres in Bihar are equipped with advanced ophthalmic instruments such as Slit Lamp with Applanation Tonometer, Streak Retinoscope, Direct Ophthalmoscope, Trial Lens Sets, Lensometer, BP apparatus, Glucometer, and computer with internet connectivity.

They are managed by well-trained optometrists and ophthalmic technicians who perform slit lamp examination, applanation tonometry, refraction tests, treatment of minor eye ailments (like foreign body removal), and eye health counseling. Optical dispensing services are also provided directly at the Vision Centre in Patna and nearby areas. Only surgical cases, such as cataract surgery in Patna, are referred to the base hospital.

This model has significantly improved community awareness toward eye health, increased eye check-ups, and enhanced surgery volume at the Sri Sai Eye Hospital Patna base facility — making quality and affordable eye care in Bihar more accessible.

In addition to its wide network of Vision Centres, SSEH is further strengthening primary eye care by upgrading several centres into Tele-Ophthalmology Centres in Bihar. Each Tele-Ophthalmology Centre is equipped with a digital slit lamp and non-mydriatic fundus camera, both connected to a laptop running integrated hospital management software and a high-speed broadband link.

The E-Dristi system enables real-time transmission of high-resolution anterior and retinal images to ophthalmologists at Sri Sai Eye Hospital, Patna, where eye specialists provide expert review and diagnosis. During scheduled tele-consultations, optometrists capture patient details, perform imaging, and initiate a live video consultation with specialists for further diagnosis or treatment guidance.

To staff these advanced units, SSEH deploys one senior optometrist and one data-entry/dispensing technician per centre. The optometrist undergoes two weeks of intensive training at the Sri Sai Eye Hospital Patna base facility on remote imaging, telemedicine etiquette, and emergency referral protocols. The technician is trained to manage patient data, ensure accuracy, and dispense basic spectacles under remote supervision.

The Tele-Ophthalmology Centres are seamlessly integrated with SSEH’s Vision Centres and home-visit programs. “Netra-Mitra” outreach workers identify and accompany patients—especially those with mobility challenges—to their nearest Tele-Ophthalmic Centre. After tele-consultation, patients requiring surgical or advanced eye treatment are referred to the base hospital in Patna, where transportation and boarding facilities are arranged by SSEH’s patient-support team.

This end-to-end eye care network ensures that even residents of rural and remote villages in Bihar gain quick access to expert ophthalmologists in Patna, advanced diagnosis, and effective treatment—fulfilling Sri Sai Eye Hospital’s mission of providing affordable, high-quality, and accessible eye care for all.