Representational file picture of a physician inspecting a affected person
at an eye fixed screening camp
| Photo Credit: R. Ragu
With the Supreme Court-appointed Committee on Road Safety observing that there are 1.5 lakh annual deaths on account of highway crashes, main eye well being organisations at the moment are calling for the inclusion of vision check-ups for drivers in the National Road Safety Plan (NRSP).
While the package deal of preventive measures in the plan embrace sporting seat belts, decreasing velocity, highway and intersection design, and never overloading, there may be an pressing want to incorporate vision correction actions for drivers of business automobiles in the plan, say main non-profits in the attention healthcare house.
Four non-profits — VisionSpring, India Vision Institute (IVI), Sightsavers India, and Mission for Vision — have screened as much as 13.55 lakh (1.35 million) business automobile drivers, helpers, cleaners, mechanics and different transport staff in India. “Providing eye health services to a floating population in a sustainable manner is a huge challenge and there is a need to build eye screenings into the National Road Safety Plan,” they stated in a joint assertion.
The IVI screened 1.8 lakh business automobile drivers and allied workers and located that just about half of these requiring spectacles had been first-time wearers, Vinod Daniel, CEO of IVI stated. “24% had trouble seeing distant objects, and over 2% had refractive errors over 2D, thus severely compromising their distance vision,” he added.
“Mission for Vision’s research amongst truckers shows that 45.8% had a refractive error, among whom 39.1% required correction for both near and distance vision in at least one eye,” Elizabeth Kurian, CEO, Mission for Vision, stated.
“It has been established by traffic safety research groups that uncorrected vision issues are common among drivers, regular eye testing for vision prevents road accidents and should be included for road safety and drivers’ well-being,” Anil Kumar, Additional Director General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), stated.
While the MoHFW has endorsed the transfer, it’s now as much as the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to incorporate common vision screening in its highway security actions. At current, eye check-up camps organised by the MoRTH are extra of a one-off exercise, a senior MoRTH official stated. The final camp was performed in the course of the National Road Safety Month between mid-January to mid-February in 2022. The selection of locations to conduct the camps was indicated as toll plazas, wayside facilities, dhabhas (eateries), and cities throughout National Highways, the MoRTH has indicated in its proposal. “After the camps were conducted last year, we are in the process of evaluating its financial implications for the government now,” the official added.
Apart from taking part in screening camps performed by the MoRTH, Sightsavers India has been operating a challenge referred to as ‘RAAHI – National Truckers Eye Health Programme’ at main National Highways, over the past 5 years. “Through 20 static vision centres and 40 camp locations spread across 54 cities in 16 States, Sightsavers’ RAAHI programme has been able to reach to nearly six lakh truck drivers who travel along India’s Golden Quadrilateral and other highways. The project has provided 2.7 lakh spectacles have been distributed to the truck driving communities,” stated RN Mohanty, CEO, Sightsavers India.
“Optimal visual health is crucial for drivers to be able to keep track of the various road signs, road furniture and infrastructure, and quickly navigate sudden movements by other road users,” Piyush Tewari, founder and CEO, SaveLIFE Foundation, stated.
“For commercial drivers, a vision test must be mandated every year and should be made available free of charge along various highways, along with the provision of low-cost prescription glasses. For commuting drivers, it is recommended that a competent vision test be conducted at the time of issuance and renewal of the driving license. Police must also include vision testing as part of their crash investigation process,” he added.
