A school-based eye health initiative is set to screen 10,000 children across West Bengal over four months, helping identify vision problems that could affect their education and daily lives.
The programme, Vision for Every Child, was launched by Project Rise of the Dawoodi Bohra community in partnership with CBM India Trust. The initiative focuses on children from families who may have limited awareness or financial resources to access regular eye care.
School screening brings care closer to children
Around 300 students were screened at Sir Syed Ahmed High School in Howrah on Wednesday, with the remaining 1,200 students at the school scheduled to undergo screening over the following days.
Principal Mohtasheem Sulaiman said teachers regularly notice children struggling to read the blackboard. Early screening, he said, can help identify problems before they become more serious.
Many parents in the area work as daily-wage labourers, masons and e-rickshaw operators and may find it difficult to afford even basic eye examinations.
The organisers said children requiring spectacles will be provided with glasses, while those needing further medical attention will receive support for specialist treatment or surgery.
Early treatment can prevent learning setbacks
Organisers stressed that screening alone is not enough and that children identified with vision problems must receive appropriate treatment and follow-up.
CBM India Trust executive director Sony Thomas noted that increased screen exposure, particularly following the expansion of digital learning during and after the Covid pandemic, has added to concerns around children’s eye health.
Children who cannot see the blackboard or read learning materials may struggle academically, lose confidence and, in some cases, eventually leave school without the underlying problem being identified.
Teachers will also learn to spot warning signs
The programme will also involve teachers, helping them recognise possible signs of vision difficulties among students.
Teachers will be encouraged to notice children who repeatedly struggle to read from a distance or have difficulty seeing classroom materials.
Dawoodi Bohra representatives said some children may have treatable conditions, including cataracts, where timely medical intervention could help restore vision.
Following the West Bengal programme, the initiative is scheduled to move to Madhya Pradesh, extending its effort to ensure that preventable or treatable vision problems do not become barriers to children’s education.