Sankara Nethralaya has been the pioneer in providing eye care to rural areas through its mobile Tele-Ophthalmology units since 2003. currently four mobile units are operating covering almost 10 districts in Tamil Nadu & 6 districts in Karnataka. The total population benefitted by these units is approx 1,55,757.
As an extension of this program, a mobile unit covering 4 districts of Vidarbha, Maharashtra was inaugurated in Yavatmal by Prof M S Swaminathan, Chairman MS Swaminathan Research Foundation on October 7, 2007 to serve the rural population of Vidarbha.
This unit will work in co-ordination with the central hub at the main hospital, chennai. vision screening will be initially done by a social worker. The patients who require consultation will be diagnosed & prescribed accordingly through video conferencing. counseling & awareness meeting’s will also be conducted periodically at the camp sites.