SYNAPSE-2019

‘An eye for safety’ Sankara Nethralaya’s drive towards ensuring safety on the road, kick starts on top gear

Chennai has the dubious distinction of being a city with one of the highest road accident rates in the world the head being the most vulnerable part of the body to be hit leads to brain injury, nervous disorders leading to vision impairment., a grave fact that the ‘Neuro-ophthalmology’ department wanted to be communicatd to the general publicthrough a series of initiatives culminating in a short movie on road safety to be screened at the ‘’Symposium in Neuro-Ophthalmology: Afferents plus Efferents -2019 ‘SYNAPSE-2019”. Dr N. Anhuradha,Assistant Professor, Elite School of Optometry, a veteran in awareness creation on children’s eye healthtook th challenge of reaching out the message of safety on the road while riding/driving with an emphasis on good vision and the need to wear proper helmet and seat belt while riding/driving. The first of a series of awareness creating initiatives was the installation of the special vision evaluating logMAR charts developed by the ESO at 10 major Hindustan Petroleum outlets across Chennai city. The inaugural of the same was held at the COMCO HP the company owned and operated bunk at Pantheon Road, Egmore, Chennai. The Vision chart was inaugurated and dedicated to the public by Mrs Subha Muthuraman, Senior Marketing Manager, Hindustan Petroleum. Dr Anuradha gave a brief on the vision chart, its easy usage and the need for healthy vision while driving/riding on the road. The inaugural was graced by Ms Akila Ganesan, Director Administration, Mr.Suresh, DGM-Administration&Projects and Dr.Viswanathan-DGM, Optical Services. Five teams of Sankara Nethralaya employees including optometrists spread themselves to 9 more petrol bunks in the city and carried out similar awareness creation activities including distribution of T Shirts with eye safety messages to the bunk employees, installing special vision charts and encouraging the employees and customers coming in to fill to have their vision checked and distribution of eye screening handbooks. The first activity in the ‘An eye for safety’ initiative was very well received by the general public.