Spec-ifying a clearer tomorrow

For a decade, Mr. Mohan Rongpeh watched his world grow increasingly blurry. As a primary school teacher in rural Assam, he struggled silently with failing eyesight, fearing the loss of his livelihood. His wife, Ms. Sunduki Tarang, a traditional weaver, harbored the same secret. 

Their story reflects a hidden crisis: over half of India's population experiences some form of visual impairment due to what is known as refractive errors, a problem that could easily be fixed with a pair of prescription spectacles.

The numbers are striking. Globally, only 36% of people with myopia (near – or short – sightedness) a type of refractive error, have access to proper spectacles. More than 800 million people suffer from near vision impairment that reading glasses could easily remedy. The economic cost is staggering—vision-related productivity losses total $411 billion annually.

To address the unmet need to provide quality, affordable and people-centred refractive error services, World Health Organization (WHO) has launched SPECS 2030. The global target is to increase effective coverage of refractive error by 40% by 2030.

SPECS 2030 was launched in India in November in Assam, at an event featuring government officials, researchers, health-care experts and NGOs. 

WHO is assisting the Government of Assam in the phased roll-out of the initiative, starting with demonstrating its feasibility and effectiveness in diverse settings. 

One model is Guwahati-based Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya’s (SSDN) community-focused initiative that provides comprehensive screening at the doorstep in rural and remote areas, free spectacles to correct refractive errors, and referral for treatment/ surgery. The initiative benefited Mr Rongpeh and Ms Tarang, who were tested by trained eye-care workersfrom SSDN in their home in a village on the outskirts of Guwahati and given free spectacles.

The results are transformative. Take Moni Ram Ingti, a basket-weaver who recently received his first pair of glasses. "I was doing fine without them," he says, "now I'm doing better." His experience has created a ripple effect—his brother now seeks similar care.

Yet challenges persist. Poor awareness, limited integration with healthcare systems, and high out-of-pocket costs hamper progress. Dr Lakshmanan S., mission director of 

National Health Mission Assam, envisions creating a scalable "Assam model" with upgraded infrastructure, stronger human resources, and efficient procurement systems.

The stakes are high. If successful, Assam's experiment could provide a blueprint for vision care across India and beyond. As WHO's Representative to India, Dr Roderico H. Ofrin, notes, India could emerge as a global leader in refractive error correction—transforming lives one pair of spectacles at a time.

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