Hyderabad, Oct 22: The first-of-its-kind initiative in India was launched on October 21, 2026, in the presence of representatives of L V Prasad Eye Institute, EMRI Green Health Services and Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital.
The initiative was jointly launched by Mr K Krishnam Raju, Director, EMRI Green Health Services, and Dr Gullapalli N Rao, Founder Chair – L V Prasad Eye Institute.
Other dignitaries present included, Dr Pravin K. Vaddavalli, Program Director – Universal Cornea Care Mission; Dr Rajeev Reddy Pappuru, Vice Chair ; and Mr Ramam Atmakuri – Executive Vice Chair Emeritus. From EMRI Green Health Services Mr Subodh Satyawadi – Senior President; Dr. G. V. Ramana Rao – Director – Emergency Medicine Learning Centre; Dr Raja Narsing Rao – Consultant – Emergency Medicine Learning Centre and representing Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital were Dr Santa Marisa, Head of Ophthalmology, and Dr Vijayalakshmi. Dr Poornima Tandra, Consultant Cornea Specialist from LVPEI, helped bring everyone together for this initiative.
The initiative gains significance with Diwali around the corner, when cases of eye injuries are at an all-time high. Eye injuries require prompt and appropriate care, as delays in treatment can lead to serious complications and permanent visual impairment.
The collaborative initiative aims to strengthen emergency response systems’ ability to recognize eye trauma, initiate appropriate first response, and facilitate timely referral to specialized eye care services. It will be rolled out in Hyderabad initially.
As part of the initiative, Emergency Medical Technicians of the “1-0-8 ambulances” operated by EMRI GHS have been trained to provide first aid in cases of eye trauma, before referring them to a specialized eye hospital. Eye trauma kits have also been provided to the ambulances. This is a critical first step in the mission to reduce avoidable blindness caused by eye trauma.
Eye trauma is an important, preventable cause of vision loss, particularly among young adults and working-age individuals. The average time for presentation of an eye injury to a hospital is 4 days, which drastically reduces the visual outcomes after treatment. This initiative enables immediate presentation to a specialized eye hospital that greatly improves the visual outcomes for patients.
Key components of the initiative:
- Training Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Emergency Response Officers (EROs) and EMS instructors in eye trauma recognition and initial management.
- Developing standard operating procedures for emergency call handling, triage and pre-hospital care for eye injuries.
- Exclusive Eye Trauma added to the existing list of emergencies at 108 ERC
- Providing eye trauma kits in ambulances during the pilot phase.
- Establishing appropriate referral pathways for patients requiring specialized ophthalmic care.
- Collecting and evaluating data to assess implementation and outcomes.
Sarojini Devi Eye Hospital will contribute to the coordinated approach towards managing eye injuries and facilitating access to appropriate treatment within the public healthcare system.
The initiative brings together expertise in emergency medical services and ophthalmic care. The participating teams will work towards strengthening the preparedness of emergency personnel, improving pre-hospital management and establishing effective referral pathways for patients with eye injuries.
The broader aim is to improve access to timely eye trauma care and reduce avoidable visual impairment, particularly during periods of increased risk such as the Diwali festive season.
