Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital

Reliance Foundation Drishti

Bringing light to people’s lives has been the vision of Reliance Foundation Drishti a pioneering initiative for over two decades now. With awareness as the first step, Drishti has been at the forefront of this vision care movement for over two decades. Committed to providing comprehensive eye care services to those in need, it also promotes awareness, protects sight and promotes inclusivity for the visually impaired. It also organises eye screening camps across India and provides spectacles for refractive errors.

Partner treatment network

Through its network of eye hospitals and clinics, the Reliance Foundation Drishti initiative offers a wide range of treatments, including cataract surgery, glaucoma management, and corneal transplants. The transplants are done in association with the National Association for the Blind, Sankara Eye Foundation and Aravind Eye Care.

Braille newspaper

The initiative also brings out India’s only fortnightly international Braille newspaper in Hindi. This was launched in 2012, and its Marathi edition was launched in 2023. Produced in collaboration with the National Association for the Blind, with Shri Swagat Thorat, noted editor and writer as the paper’s Chief Editor, the Drishti newspapers cover news and updates besides reader contributions. At the start of every year, a Braille table calendar is distributed to readers of the paper.

Art & Essay Competition

The Reliance Foundation Drishti Art & Essay competition, is conducted annually by Reliance among children and grandchildren of its employees, to create awareness about eye donation among the younger generation and encourage them to become ambassadors of eye health during the National Eye Donation Fortnight, from August 25 to September 8.

Encouraging entrepreneurial efforts

Reliance Foundation Drishti also works in close collaboration with organisations like Sunrise Candles to support entrepreneurial efforts of those with visual impairment by procuring products like diyas and other gifting objects from such enterprises to promote inclusivity. The event this year, takes forward the commitment of work through the years.

External study on Reliance Foundation Drishti

An external Impact Assessment Study of Reliance Foundation’s Drishti Programme for Improving Vision Care among underprivileged communities of the Reliance Foundation Drishti programme found that corneal transplants have proven instrumental in enhancing the quality of life for those who have been supported. Individuals reporting ‘severe or extreme pain’ decreased from 48% before the surgery to 13.2% after the surgery while social participation increased from 17% to 44%. The programme has saved INR 4.3 crore in potential out-of-pocket expenses of beneficiaries of corneal transplants and has averted 3347 DALYs (Disability-adjusted life year is sum of life years lost due to disability).

Key impact

Through the years, this initiative has resulted in spreading the light of vision across India:

  • 22,000+ corneal transplants have been facilitated since 2003
  • Over 2 lakh consultations have been conducted, with 18,300+ people being provided with spectacles free of cost after detection of refractive error.
  • 4,200 per fortnightly copies are distributed across India and seven other countries with a readership of around 24,000
  • The fortnightly Braille newspaper in Marathi was launched in 2023 with a circulation of over 350 copies and a readership of 1750 readers
  • A Braille table calendar in Hindi is distributed on World Braille Day (4 Jan)

The Braille newspaper in Hindi in association with the NAB, since 2012, covers news and information for visually impaired readers.

During the Reliance Foundation Art and Essay competition 2024, in August 25, 2024 over 7,000 Reliance families from across 85 Reliance locations were involved, giving their children and grandchildren an opportunity to self-express through art and essay writing.

In 2024, Drishti also conducted a Braille Essay Competition and out of a total of about 80 entries in Hindi and in Marathi – six winners were selected for Hindi essay and three for Marathi essay writing. These participants are readers of the Reliance Foundation Drishti Braille newspaper.

By promoting eye donation and providing quality eye care, Reliance Foundation Drishti is making a significant contribution to the fight against blindness. The Art & Essay Competition for all the children & grandchildren of Reliance employees helps create awareness about eye donation. It encourages the younger generation to become ambassadors of eye health during the National Eye Donation Fortnight. The initiative's efforts have not only restored vision to countless individuals but have also inspired others to join the cause of eye health.

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