MFV Annual Report 2023-24

Work, V I S I O N , Vision, WORK , A Nand D GGender E N D E Equity R PARITY

MFV COVERAGE

LADAKH JAMMU & KASHMIR

Presence in 24 Indian States & Union Territories

HIMACHAL PRADESH PUNJAB

UTTARAKHAND

NEW DELHI

SIKKIM

ASSAM

UTTAR PRADESH

RAJASTHAN

ARUNACHAL PRADESH

BIHAR

NAGALAND

MEGHALAYA MANIPUR

JHARKHAND GUJARAT

WEST BENGAL

MADHYA PRADESH

TRIPURA

CHATTISGARH ODISHA MAHARASHTRA TELANGANA

GOA

ANDHRA PRADESH KARNATAKA PUDUCHERRY

KERALA LAKSHADWEEP

TAMIL NADU

ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLAND

MIZORAM

Mission for Vision (MFV) is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to eradicating avoidable blindness by enabling high-quality, comprehensive, and equitable eye health care. By harnessing the power of vision to alleviate poverty, MFV strives to create a world free from avoidable blindness.

MFV is committed to contributing to national eye health priorities and achieving global goals, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

VISION

To restore the gift of vision to every visually impaired human being, irrespective of nationality, religion, or socio-economic status.

PHILOSOPHY

Caring Capitalism®

VALUES

This is the belief in leveraging business successes for the betterment of humanity and respect for nature.

Quality Care

Cost Efficiency

Services for all

Sustainability

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CONTEXT The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB)1 report that 13 million people worldwide suffer from work-related vision impairment, with 3.5 million eye injuries each year. Over 90% of these could be prevented with affordable solutions.

India's labour force participation2 stands at 51.1%, with 44.1% in agriculture, 24.5% in industry, and 31.5% in services. Many outdoor workers are exposed to environmental toxins, impacting their overall health, including their eye health. In Delhi, studies3 found that 44% of auto-rickshaw drivers, as well as many street vendors and sweepers, reported eye redness and irritation.

Alongside focusing on workers' eye health, addressing women's eye health is equally important for promoting gender equity. Despite facing unique challenges and higher risks of certain eye conditions, women's eye health often receives less attention.

These factors highlight the importance of collaboration to improve eye health for both workers and women, aligning with sustainable development goals and national priorities.

Recognising the link between clear vision and productivity, MFV focuses on enhancing eye health, especially for vulnerable and at-risk workers. This report outlines MFV's initiatives in 2023-24, highlighting the connection between vision, employment, and gender equity in the fight against avoidable blindness.

ilo.org/publications/eye-health-and-world-work ilostat.ilo.org/data/country-profiles/ 3 Barthwal V, Jain S, Babuta A, Jamir C, Sharma AK, Mohan A. Health impact assessment of Delhi's outdoor workers exposed to air pollution and extreme weather events: An integrated epidemiology approach. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2022; 29:44746–58 1 2

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Mission for Vision (MFV) and its partners are dedicated to making eye care

ACCESSIBLE

AFFORDABLE

ACCEPTABLE

AVAILABLE FOR ALL

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By enabling the gift of vision, we also help restore dignity, enhance productivity, and promote a brighter future for individuals, their families, and communities. The impact is manifold by way of improved livelihoods, more vibrant economies, and healthier societies.

MR JM CHANRAI Founder, Mission for Vision

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MESSAGE FROM THE LEADERSHIP

To watch the video, please scan he QR code or visit tiny.cc/mfvmsg

We continue to build our efforts to promote gender equity through enhanced efforts to establish better systems to serve girls and women through services, livelihood and empowerment opportunities.

MS ELIZABETH KURIAN Chief Executive Officer, Mission for Vision 5

SEEING THE FUTURE:

MFV PROGRAMMES IN FOCUS

Mission for Vision believes eye health interventions can drive transformative social change and alleviate poverty by improving sight. Driven by this belief, MFV's programmes enable high-quality, comprehensive eye care to marginalised communities, positively impacting lives and health systems. This creates lasting benefits across diverse demographics and contributes to the achievement of sustainable development goals.

MISSION DISHA Productivity and efficiency at the workplace often begin with good eye health. Mission Disha, aimed at prioritising eye health at the workplace has enabled eye health services for more than 23,900 at-risk workers such as heavy vehicle drivers, weavers and other skilled workers over the years. This initiative continues to expand, reaching a wide spectrum of individuals across various occupational settings.

MISSION JEEVAN Retinoblastoma, a paediatric eye cancer affecting children aged 0-6 years, can be unaffordable for families with limited financial resources. Mission Jeevan addresses this by offering comprehensive services, including timely screening, counselling, and the required treatment at no cost.

The programme to date has supported the treatment of 24 children and continues to raise awareness among medical practitioners and the public.

MISSION JYOT This programme aims to establish Vision Centres in underserved areas of the country. By encouraging and enabling early care-seeking behaviour, Mission Jyot aims to prevent deterioration of vision issues and expedite individuals’ return to work. Restoring sight not only enhances productivity but also boosts income generation, contributing to broader economic and social development.

Achieving the milestone of 150+ Vision Centres and enabling eye care to over 1.9 million people underscores MFV’s dedication to ensuring accessible and affordable eye care. This initiative is expanding further with specific attention on women’s eye health and vulnerable populations across different regions.

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MISSION NAYAN Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) is a potentially blinding eye disorder that primarily affects prematurely born infants (<2kg or born before 34 weeks of gestation) and can lead to lifelong vision impairment and blindness. Mission Nayan enables treatment for ROP positive and at-risk neonates from socio-economically challenged backgrounds. If the average Indian person’s life expectancy is 70 years, this intervention can prevent avoidable blindness for decades, benefiting them throughout their entire lifetime.

The initiative has transformed the lives of over 7,700 children and continues to expand ensuring ROP treatment reaches rural and remote areas, leaving no one behind.

MISSION NETRA Cataract is the leading cause of blindness among people aged over 50. This condition affects their mobility and productivity, leading to dependency and exacerbating their socioeconomic challenges.

MFV’s Mission Netra addresses this by enabling sight-restoring surgeries at no cost to patients from the socio-economically disadvantaged sections of society. Through timely sight restoration, this initiative focuses on enhancing people’s productivity, independence, and mobility.

Over the years, this programme has facilitated over 3 million cataract surgeries, bringing a transformational impact to countless lives.

MISSION ROSHNI Blindness and visual impairment in children severely impact learning, as 80% of learning relies on vision. Mission Roshni aims to eliminate avoidable blindness in children studying in government and government-aided schools, enhancing their academic performance leading to increased educational opportunities.

To date, Mission Roshni has enabled eye care in the Indian states of Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal and over 834,000 children across these regions have received eye health interventions.

MISSION SAKSHAM Allied Ophthalmic Personnel (AOP) play a crucial role in delivering primary eye care and providing significant support to the eye health sector. Mission Saksham builds the AOP cadre in India through training rural youth, especially young girls from socio-economically challenged communities.

While this programme builds the primary eye care cadre, it also offers livelihood opportunities, promotes equality, and empowers participants with technical and soft skills for future careers.

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MISSION FOR VISION

IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS EYE SERVICES ENABLED

FY 2023-24

OVER THE YEARS

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EYE SURGERIES ENABLED

MISSION DISHA

MISSION JEEVAN

(AT NO COST)

16,08,797

2,84,743

19.86+ mn

3.08+ mn

7,831

Drivers & Skilled Workers intervened

23,979

Drivers & Skilled Workers intervened

13

Children intervened

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Children intervened

MISSION FOR VISION

IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS MISSION JYOT

MISSION NAYAN

MISSION NETRA

MISSION ROSHNI

40

3,064

2,55,827

3,15,479

New Vision Centres established or strengthened

Neonates intervened

156

7,761

Vision Centres established

Surgeries enabled

Children intervened

MISSION SAKSHAM

128 AOPs Trained

180 AOPs In-Training

Neonates intervened

3+ mn Surgeries enabled

8,34,529 Children intervened

335 AOPs Trained

402 AOPs In-Training

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HIGHLIGHTS & UPDATES AUGUS T 2023 Mission Jeevan Expansion MFV’s Mission Jeevan initiative, dedicated to providing timely screening, counselling, and treatment to children diagnosed with retinoblastoma, has broadened its impact by partnering with Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, Delhi with the generous support of Wen Giving Foundation.

This expansion marks a crucial step forward in our mission to save lives and fostering greater awareness of this critical issue.

AUGUST 2023 Mission Roshni expands to Kerala for the first time Good eye health is essential for children to thrive in school. Through the collaborative efforts of Mission for Vision, Cognizant Foundation, and Little Flower Hospital & Research Centre, the Mission Roshni programme now enables quality eye care to students in Government and Government-aided schools in Ernakulam district of Kerala.

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NOVEMBER 2023 Community Eye Health Project Seppa, Arunachal Pradesh MFV initiated a Community Eye Health project in Seppa, East Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh in collaboration with the National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI). As part of this initiative, MFV along with the government has provided training to 43 Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in the field of eye health. Leveraging the strengths and extensive network of ASHAs, this project is helping enable essential eye screenings, identifying underlying eye health issues, facilitating necessary referrals, in addition to medical and surgical treatments for individuals residing in rural and remote regions of the district.

MARCH 2024 Mission for Vision inaugurates its 150th Vision Centre In March 2024, Mission for Vision, in partnership with MGM Eye Institute, launched its 150th Vision Centre in Shivrinarayan, Chhattisgarh. In line with our commitment towards Integrated peoplecentered eye care (IPEC) making eye health accessible, this milestone aims to provide quality eye care to over 50,000 residents in Janjgir-Champa district. Furthermore, it advances MFV’s efforts to eradicate preventable blindness & paves the path for a brighter future for everyone.

MARCH 2024 2024 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health The 2024 Jenny Pomeroy Award for Excellence in Vision and Public Health was presented to Mission for Vision for its outstanding contributions to vision and eye health. This prestigious accolade stands as a tribute to Jenny Pomeroy, former CEO of Prevent Blindness Georgia (1996-2013), who infused her leadership with a fervent commitment to public health and our collective mission towards prioritising eye health.

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WORLD SIGHT DAY 2023 To commemorate World Sight Day, 2023, our mission was to prioritise raising awareness and promoting good eye health at workplaces.

As a result of our efforts, we successfully enabled access to quality eye care services for diverse professionals across various regions of the country.

ENABLING VISION AT WORKPLACES

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MA HA RA SHT RA

T AM I L N A DU

WES T B EN G A L

Housekeeping Staff Taxi Drivers Security Personnel Street Food Vendors

Weaving Community Children of the Weaving Community

Factory Workers Homeopathy Laboratory Staff Daily Wage Labourers

STORIES OF HOPE

EMPOWERING THROUGH EQUALITY In Takdah, Darjeeling, a family of entrepreneurial women run a grocery store, jewellery shop, and restaurant, serving as inspiration for their community. Despite their success, they struggled with access to healthcare, especially eye care. Due to the isolated mountainous terrain, even basic healthcare is barely accessible by the communities of this region, let alone eye care.

This prompted Mission for Vision to collaborate with Wen Giving Foundation and Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital to establish a Vision Centre in this region to enable timely screenings and treatments for the people of Takdah.

While the mother underwent a successful cataract surgery, both daughters were screened and provided spectacles at no cost. With their vision restored, all three women now have clear paths to success, empowerment, and financial stability, greatly enhancing their ability to pursue opportunities, increase productivity, and improve their livelihoods.

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PROGRAMME IMPACT The Programme Impact team at MFV evaluates eye health systems by assessing visual acuity, eye care practices, and access barriers. They conduct patient satisfaction surveys and evaluate services to ensure high-quality care.

When MFV evaluated patients' visual acuity 1 month post-surgery, the results were remarkable.

V I S U A L ACUITY B E F OR E S UR G ER Y

1

2

14

Very Good

Good

Borderline

Poor

6/6 - 6/12

<6/12 - 6/18

<6/18 - 6/60

<6/60

85 V I S U A L ACUITY O N E M ONTH A F T E R S U R G ER Y

Very Good 6/6 - 6/12

9 Good

<6/12 - 6/18

5 Borderline

<6/18 - 6/60

83

1 Poor

<6/60

These outcomes align with the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendations for post-cataract surgery visual outcomes, demonstrating the effectiveness of the surgical interventions.

The substantial improvement in visual acuity not only enhances the patients' quality of life but also boosts their mobility and productivity. This vision restoration significantly reduces their dependence on family members, allowing them greater independence and the ability to engage more actively in daily activities.

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STORIES OF HOPE THROUGH NEW LENSES

Anita Bahaduri (name changed), an 11th standard student at Nagrakata Government School in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, received spectacles at no cost through a school screening camp, a collaborative effort by Cognizant Foundation, Mission for Vision, and Siliguri Greater Lions Eye Hospital (SGLEH). Facing financial challenges at home, Anita was relieved and grateful for the support, which has greatly improved her vision for schoolwork and daily activities.

Our eyes deserve attention.

Wearing glasses is about clarity & well-being, not shame.

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BEYOND THE EYE CHART:

RESEARCH & EVIDENCE

A Multisite Longitudinal Investigation of Psychological Outcomes Following Cataract Surgery in India

With the lack of systematic data on mental health issues among adults with cataracts in India, this study examined the impact of cataract surgery on depressive and generalised anxiety symptoms in an adult Indian sample.

KEY FINDINGS: Adult patients awaiting cataract surgery have a high prevalence of unaddressed mental health symptoms.

Compared to the general population in India, patients with untreated cataracts examined in this study were: as likely to suffer 9x from depressive symptoms

2x as likely to suffer

from generalised anxiety

Successful surgery significantly reduced both depressive and generalised anxiety symptoms.

Read the detailed report: tiny.cc/mfv_r01 16

Overall, the positive impact of the surgery is evident in the patients' improved visual acuity and their enhanced capacity to lead independent and productive lives.

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BEYOND THE EYE CHART:

RESEARCH & EVIDENCE

Knowledge among patients about postoperative home self-care following cataract surgery in Northern and Western India

This MFV study investigated the knowledge levels of patients on home self-care precautions post-discharge, suggesting ways to improve these, as inadequate knowledge regarding postoperative home self-care can result in numerous complications and poor visual outcomes.

KEY FINDINGS: Care/Procedure

Knowledge Levels

Inference

General eye care precautions

57.9%

Moderately adequate knowledge

Eye cleaning procedures

69.8%

Major gap in knowledge

Instilling medications

84.3%

Gap in knowledge

Overall, patients who attended both follow-up review visits were more likely to have adequate knowledge on post-operative eye care.

Read the detailed report: tiny.cc/mfv_r02 19

BEYOND THE EYE CHART: RESEARCH & EVIDENCE

Social-emotional issues among children with strabismus higher than among non-strabismus children in Western India

With scanty data on social-emotional aspects among children with strabismus in India, MFV conducted a study to analyse the emotional symptoms, loneliness and social dissatisfaction, and self-esteem and their associated risk factors among children with and without strabismus in India.

KEY FINDINGS: Children with strabismus often experience higher levels of emotional symptoms, loneliness, social dissatisfaction, and low self-esteem compared to children without strabismus.

Over a quarter of children with strabismus reported difficulties in performing daily activities.

More than 50% of these children reported being neglected and mistreated by family, friends, and relatives compared to children without strabismus.

This underscores the importance of addressing the social and emotional well-being of these children.

Read the detailed report: tiny.cc/mfv_r03 20

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STORIES OF HOPE

HARVESTING HOPE & PAVING A CLEARER PATH FORWARD

Mohan (name changed), aged 58, ekes out a living from cotton, rice, and millet farming. Widowed when his children were very young, he chose to raise them alone. A cataract in his eye prevented him from working in the fields, making him dependent on his children who had just started contributing to the farm. This also halted his foraging activities due to poor eyesight, and he struggled to accept the fact that he had become dependent so early in his life.

Mission for Vision, through LV Prasad Eye Institute, reached out and facilitated a cataract surgery for him. With his vision restored, Mohan experienced a significant boost in productivity, mobility, and independence.

He now actively participates in farming activities, increasing the overall yield and efficiency. His improved vision also allows him to move around freely, perform daily tasks without assistance, and he has even resumed with foraging activities.

Overjoyed to be working in the fields again, Mohan now enjoys life to the fullest, grateful for the restored independence and enhanced quality of life.

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STORIES OF HOPE

HARVESTING HOPE & PAVING A CLEARER PATH FORWARD

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THOUGHT LEADERSHIP IAPB: 2030 IN SIGHT LIVE Singapore

Vision and Road Safety Conference 2024

VISION 2020: The Right to Sight - INDIA National Conference

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39th Asia Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress

VISION 2020: The Right to Sight – INDIA Meeting (Maharashtra Chapter)

Webinar: Candid Conversations around Climate & Eye Health

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PARTNERS & DONORS Thank you to all our partners and donors for your contributions, which have helped Mission for Vision achieve its goals and create a positive impact.

Scan the QR to know more about MFV’s Donors & Partners.

You can also visit: bit.ly/4flx4x5

TRUSTEES

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our trustees for their unwavering support and trust in our vision.

Mrs. Bharati J. Chanrai Mr. Gulu C. Waney Mr. Jagdish M. Chanrai Dr. Prakash Mirchandani Mr. Subramonian Sivaramakrishnan

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VISION CHECK, FUTURE BRIGHT

LET'S TEST YOUR EYES Find the letter C 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000000000000000000000000000C000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

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VISION CHECK, FUTURE BRIGHT

WHOEyes

Now you can check your vision from the comfort of your home with the WHOeyes app. This app replicates the visual acuity assessment typically conducted by eye care professionals using a conventional chart. Its accuracy and usability have been validated in 3 separate research studies.

Suitable for individuals aged 8 and older, WHOeyes checks both near and distance visual acuity. It uses the tumbling E chart with a wide variety of languages and provides educational messages on eye protection.

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info@missionforvision.org.in

www.missionforvision.org.in