Goodwill Ambassador of VISION 2020 India

Why in News?

• Krishnamachari Srikkanth became the Goodwill Ambassador of VISION 2020 India.

Key Points:-

• Former Indian cricket captain and legendary batsman Krishnamachari Srikkanth has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador of VISION 2020 India.
• This initiative is being run with the aim of eliminating preventable blindness in India.
• For this announcement, a special program was organized at Shankar Netralaya in Chennai, which is an important partner of Vision 2020: The Right to Sight-India campaign.

Status of Blindness in India

Blindness remains a serious health problem in India. According to recent statistics:-

• 4.8 million people are completely blind, which is one of the highest globally.
• More than 70 million people are suffering from some vision problem.
• More than 80% of cases can be prevented or corrected, if timely identification and medical help is given.

Major Causes of Blindness

• Cataract – Major cause of blindness in elderly people.
• Refractive errors – Affects millions of people due to lack of proper treatment.
• Glaucoma – Permanent damage if identified late.
• Diabetic Retinopathy – A rapidly growing problem due to increasing cases of diabetes.
• Vitamin A deficiency – Major cause of blindness in children.

Role of VISION 2020 India and Shankar Netralaya 2020

The objective of VISION 2020 India is:-

• To provide free eye examination and treatment to the poor and needy.
• To provide cataract surgery and other necessary treatments.
• To increase awareness of eye health in the community.
• Under the leadership of Shankar Netralaya Chairman T.S. Surendran, the institute is playing a leading role in the field of ophthalmology and research in India.
• The presence of VISION 2020 India Chairman Rajesh Saini in this initiative further strengthened the importance of this mission.