Introduction
(Department of Optometry)

Blindness is a major handicap which if not get cared can be curse to a person.

Timely diagnosis and referral can prevent most of blindness in the society. Optometry is

a profession that has the primary public health responsibility for eliminating uncorrected

refractive error (the leading cause of vision impairment globally). Optometry as a profession has the primary public health responsibility for eliminating uncorrected refractive error. To provide excellent vision care to all the people of the country, India needs 116,000 optometrists. India currently has approximately 9,000 4-year trained optometrists and an estimated 30,000 2-year trained eye care personnel. As primary eye care practitioners, optometrists have a vital role in detecting potentially serious eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma and age-related eye disorders, as well as general health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes, which can cause various eye problems in masses, and their timely referral and in some cases co- management.

Optometry can and should play a leading role in eye care provision at the primary level,

and can also assist at secondary and tertiary levels where possible, working with ophthalmologists and other eye care providers towards the unified goal of combating blindness.