EXPERT TAKE

Eye care was one of the first single specialities to really take off in India, a country that has one of the highest cataract prevalence rates globally. The emergence was originally driven by welfare-oriented eye care organisations like Aravind Eye Care and Sankara Nethralaya. With the industry maturing, private operators came out of the woodwork. Prominent among them were Dr Agarwal’s Eye-Q, ASG, Maxivision and Vasan Healthcare.

Drishti is an organisation which works at the grassroot-level to implement quality eye care. Its model is more intensive, with initial consultations and treatment at the doorstep, removing the impediment of travel. This reduces the slippage of patients between the initial health care camps and actual treatment at the main hub.

While Drishti’s model is focused on semi-urban and rural towns, the volume this model can generate makes it economically viable. Using community health groups allows the company to reduce its customer acquisition costs, which in turn make its services affordable for poor patients.