KOLKATA, WEST BENGAL (India CSR): The SBIF Eye Care project, a collaborative initiative between SBI Foundation and CBM India, has achieved a significant milestone in its mission to combat avoidable blindness among marginalized communities. The project has successfully supported 3,000 cataract surgeries, screened over 40,000 people for eye conditions, distributed 400 spectacles free of charge, and reached over 3 lakh people through community outreach and awareness initiatives across 12 blocks in the Howrah district of West Bengal.
Launched in March 2024, the program was designed to address a critical public health need in one of West Bengal’s most densely populated districts. Cataracts remain a leading cause of blindness worldwide, and in Howrah, limited access to eye health services, low awareness about symptoms and treatment, and insufficient follow-up care and rehabilitation have created an urgent need for intervention.
At its core, the SBIF Eye Care project focuses on delivering free cataract surgeries to people from low-income groups and marginalized communities, including persons with disabilities. To achieve this, multiple points of access to eye care were created, including door-to-door screenings, awareness drives, and CBM India’s network of inclusive vision centers for diagnosis and counselling. Patients identified through these channels were then referred to the empaneled hospital for surgery and follow-up care.
Speaking about the project impact, Sony Thomas, Executive Director, CBM India Trust, said, “Cataracts remain one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in India and the world, yet the surgery to treat this condition is straightforward and highly effective. For many people, however, factors such as geography, income, misconceptions about vision loss, or other considerations mean they never receive it. Through this partnership with SBI Foundation, we were able to change that in Howrah by identifying people who required cataract surgery and ensuring they underwent the procedure. The results of this project speak for themselves.”
The impact of the initiative is reflected in the experiences of its beneficiaries. Ms. Brinda, a 65-year-old homemaker, said: “The surgery gave me my old life back. I want to hold my grandson’s hand and walk him to school every day.” Mr. Ganesh, a 60-year-old farmer, shared: “I can see the world clearly now. I can work in my fields, read, and live without depending on others. I feel young again.” The family of Mr. Banshi, a 62-year-old farmer who underwent cataract surgery through the project, shared, “We are glad that he is more confident now, and does not feel low anymore. He has got his second sight and is very happy.”
The SBIF Eye Care project demonstrates how partnerships between civil society and the corporate sector can complement and strengthen government efforts to address preventable blindness. The model developed in the Howrah district—combining community-level outreach linked to diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up—offers a replicable framework for supporting inclusive eye care delivery across India.
(India CSR)
