Doctor explains: How India’s eye-care gap threatens 2030 goal to eliminate avoidable blindness

India is facing a major shortage of eye-care specialists at a time when vision problems are rising rapidly across the country. According to the World Health Organisation, India carries one of the largest global burdens of visual impairment, with millions of cases linked to preventable or treatable conditions such as refractive errors and cataracts.

Public health experts have repeatedly warned that the country does not have enough specialists to meet the growing demand for eye care, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Recent reports indicate that India has roughly one ophthalmologist for every 60,000–65,000 people, a ratio that falls short of what is required to achieve global targets for eliminating avoidable blindness by 2030. The challenge is compounded by an uneven distribution of specialists, with most ophthalmologists concentrated in urban centres while large parts of the country struggle with limited access to basic eye examinations and early diagnosis.

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The issue has gained renewed policy attention in the Government of India’s Union Budget 2026–27, which for the first time highlighted optometry as a national priority within allied health professional development. The budget earmarked ₹1,000 crore for training and upskilling allied health professionals, a move experts say could strengthen the country’s primary eye-care workforce and expand access to early screening.

Health researchers say trained optometrists could play a crucial role in easing pressure on ophthalmologists by handling routine eye examinations, identifying early signs of disease and referring complex cases for specialist care. This becomes even more important as changing lifestyles especially rising screen exposure are driving a surge in vision-related complaints such as dry eyes and refractive errors among younger people.

Against this backdrop, strengthening the optometry workforce is increasingly seen as a key step toward improving preventive eye care and reducing avoidable blindness across India.

Firstpost talked to Dr. Payal Gupta, Consultant Ophthalmology, Fortis (Greater Noida) to understand the scale of India’s eye-care gap, the role optometrists can play in bridging it and why strengthening primary vision screening could be crucial for the country’s public health system.

"India reportedly has only one ophthalmologist for around 65,000 patients. How serious is this gap in eye care services, and what role can optometrists play in addressing it?"

Dr Gupta: It is actually a very serious gap as the present ratio is way below what is needed to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2030. Optometrists are a great way of bridging the gap between an ophthalmologist and the patient. Even in established eye setups and not just periphery, an optometrist is the first point of contact for any patient with an eye problem.

Many experts say ophthalmologists are often overwhelmed with cases that trained optometrists could detect and correct at the primary level. How can strengthening optometry reduce this burden?

Dr Gupta: A well experienced and knowledgeable optometrist can very well differentiate the conditions that can be managed at their level and those needing specialised care, thus reducing the load of ophthalmologists as well as relieving the patient of unnecessary hassle.

For the first time, the Union Budget 2026–27 has recognised optometry as a national priority under allied health professional development. How significant is this step for India’s eye care system?

Dr Gupta: This is very significant because if u look at the data it's not just the patient ophthalmologist ratio but also the optometrist to ophthalmologist ratio that is majorly skewed. So considering the role that an optometrist can play in contributing to eye health care needs of the country, this prioritisation could not have come any sooner.

What are the most common eye conditions that optometrists can detect and manage early before patients need referral to an ophthalmologist?

Dr Gupta: Uncorrected refractive errors, dry eyes, conjunctivitis are few of the eye problems that can be mostly dealt by an experienced optometrist at their level. Many other causes of avoidable blindness can also be detected earlier by an optometrist and referred for timely interventions, like cataract, glaucoma, trauma, diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy etc.

How important are routine eye examinations by optometrists in preventing vision loss and detecting diseases such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, or macular degeneration?

Dr Gupta: Not just with diagnosis and treatment , optometrist also play a significant role in creating awareness among the general populations. Some people prefer the easy approachability to a paramedical staff rather than a doctor for routine check ups.

With increasing screen exposure and digital device use, what new vision-related problems are optometrists seeing more frequently among younger people?

Dr Gupta: Dry eyes and uncorrected refractive errors have been on an unprecedented rise in wake of recent surge in digital device usage. Most of it is manageable with life style modifications, following certain screen ethics and regular eye checkups.

What steps are needed to strengthen the optometry workforce in India so that primary eye care becomes more accessible, especially in rural and underserved areas?

Dr Gupta: Apart from strengthening the educational and training programs of optometrist, the infrastructure and resources also need to be upgraded for providing primary eye care in rural and underserved areas. Incorporating provisions of telemedicine and teleconsulatations into the rural eyecare system can help greatly strengthen built on the basework of a skilled optometrist.