Sankara Nethralaya has opened its first branch of optometry school in Kolkata recently. Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly, Biman Banerjee, inaugurated the Sankara Nethralaya Elite School of Optometry. Health secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam also participated.
T.S. Surendran, chairman of Medical Research Foundation — an umbrella institution under which the new college will function — said the first Elite School of Optometry was established in Chennai on September 17, 1985, to offer a four-year professional degree programme. It was the vision of the founder, S.S. Badrinath. The Elite School of Optometry is a testament to excellence in optometry education, research, clinical practice and community outreach.
The foundation’s president, Girish S. Rao, said the establishment of the school addressed the needs of eye health in West Bengal, where approximately 1.66% of the population suffers from blindness. “To meet this significant need and provide comprehensive eye care, it is crucial to have professional trained optometrists in the State,” he said.
Published - September 05, 2024 12:23 am IST
