One ophthalmologist for 65,000 Indians: Eye care survey
A new AIIMS survey reveals India has just 15 ophthalmologists for every million people—so one eye specialist serves over 65,000 people on average.
That's a pretty big stretch for those needing help with their vision.
Puducherry has highest number of eye specialists
The study found huge regional gaps: Puducherry has 127 ophthalmologists per million, but Ladakh has only two.
Most eye care centers are private (over 70%), while public and NGO-run facilities are much fewer.
Other alarming findings
India's ratio of optometrists to ophthalmologists is less than one, far below the Vision 2020 goal of three support staff per specialist.
Only about 40% of centers offer emergency services anytime, and less than 6% have advanced eye banks.
There's also a serious shortage of pediatric eye surgery centers—just one for every 630,000 people—with states like Bihar and Assam especially underserved.
The report urges all sectors to work together so everyone can get better access to quality eye care.