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Aravind Eye Hospital (AEH)- Madurai

Aravind Eye Hospital (AEH) Madurai has collaborated with Vision-Aid since the year 2018 Through this partnership, numerous individuals with permanent vision loss and children with Cortical/cerebral visual impairment (CVI) have benefitted.

Focus areas of the partnership include

  1. Patient Reach and Background:
    1. Providing comprehensive vision rehabilitation to individuals with visually impaired with terminal vision conditions.
    2. Primarily supports patients from rural, underprivileged backgrounds.
  2. Services Provided:
    1. Free low vision screening for all patients.
    2. Subsidized low-vision devices for poor patients; affordable high-quality devices for paying patients.
    3. Vision therapy for infants and children.
    4. Provision and training on assistive aids (optical and electronic).
    5. Comprehensive rehabilitation services.
  3. Research and Innovation:
    1. Engaged in cutting-edge research projects, including the effective contribution to the development of Smart Vision Glasses.
  4. Initiatives and Outreach:
    1. Distribution of smartphones to underprivileged patients through a partnership with the TFL Foundation.
    2. Smart Vision Glasses distribution to the needy.
    3. Distribution of Portable digital magnifiers
    4. Regular camps in rural areas and special schools for early intervention programs for visually impaired children.

RECENT UPDATES :-

Highlights of 2023:

The Vision-Aid Resource Center at Aravind has served nearly 7300 beneficiaries with over 8100 various interventions/sessions for visually impaired patients in the year 2023. The resource center has provided free low vision screening and affordable assistive devices. The center offers vision therapy, assistive aids, and comprehensive rehabilitation services. Aravind is involved in research on Smart Vision Glasses and conducts rural camps and special school programs for early intervention.

Perkins visit:

Dr. Sahithya completed a two-day observation program at Perkins School for the Blind Boston,USA . She met with the low vision team, shared AEH Madurai resource center’s CVI protocol for functional vision assessment, and gained valuable insights into their CVI teaching materials, which she plans to implement at the resource center. This meeting was most likely a knowledge transfer.

Continuous Medical Education( CME) and Learning:

1) Annual CME:

Aravind Madurai hosted annual CMEs for 210 Vision Center Technicians to enhance primary eye care skills and boost referrals. The event featured sessions on low vision and rehabilitation, an exhibition, and a department tour for early intervention awareness. Knowledge assessments and virtual classes on recent protocols and referral procedures were also conducted.

2)CME on Cerebral Visual Impairment:

On September 2, 2023, Aravind Eye Hospital’s Department of Pediatric Ophthalmology and Vision Rehabilitation, led by Chief Dr. P. Vijayalakshmi, held a CME titled “Unlocking the Mysteries of Cerebral Visual Impairment – The Journey to Vision and Brain.” Over 150 participants, including ophthalmologists, pediatricians, optometrists, and therapists, attended the event featuring multidisciplinary approaches, hands-on training, and interactive elements.

3) TNOA Presentation

Dr. Sahithya won the Dr. Captain Subramaniam Award for the best video on “All in One Rehab Tool for Persons with Visual Impairment” featuring the Smart Vision Glass.

She was also an invited faculty member for the TNOA instructional course on “Preferred Practice for CVI Intervention

Training and Professional Development:

1) Ten visually impaired students from Trivandrum received demonstrations and training for Smart Vision Glass, enhancing their vision capabilities.

2) Professional training:

Professionals from Aravind Tirunelveli were trained in NVDA, smartphone usage, and Smart Vision Glass to improve rehabilitation services.

3) Occupational therapy

An occupational therapist from a multi-specialty hospital in Kerala, completed a 15-day early intervention course at VRC, AEH, Madurai, focusing on children with CVI.

4) Smartphone Training Program

Training for beneficiaries on using smartphones with special software was completed in the first week of October. Following Vision Aid guidelines, an event was planned on the third week of October 2023 to officially distribute the smartphones and showcase their usage.

5) Low Vision Training Program

An Ophthalmic Clinical Officer from Gahini District Hospital in Eastern Province, Rwanda, completed a 3-month low vision training program at the Vision Rehabilitation Centre, AEH, from October 1st to December 31st, 2023.

Screening and Outreach activities:

1) Virtual camp for children with special needs:

On February 25, 2023, the resource center held a virtual camp with DEIC Virudhunagar and a pediatrician from the Government Hospital via Zoom. Dr. Sahithya, Ms. Flora, and an optometrist reviewed medical histories and vision exams for twelve children, referring them to the base hospital. Nine received interventions at the Vision Rehabilitation Center, AEH, Madurai.

2) Special School Screening Camp

In October and November, the centre conducted screening camps at two schools: M.S. Chella Muthu Trust and Balashiksha School for Children with Autism. 140 students benefited from this outreach program.

Awareness and outreach programs:

On Children’s Day, children with special needs participated in a painting competition alongside special child. The event was a success, with enthusiastic participation from the children and positive feedback from parents.

Meet up:

On November 26th, 2023, Ms.Devi Udayakumar Head- Low Vision Rehabilitation Program from Vision-Aid visited AEH Madurai. The low vision team at AEH Madurai and Ms. Devi exchanged their ideas about low vision, rehabilitation and various other services. The meeting was very fruitful, the discussions paved way for adding tier hospitals.

Research and Development:

Ongoing research projects:

  1. Impact of Special Software Training on Quality of Life Among People with Visual Impairment.
  2. Impact of Online Vision Intervention on Functional Vision in Children with Multiple Disabilities.

 

Publications:

  1. Bhaskaran, Sahithya & Flora, Jeyaseeli & Perumalsamy, Vijayalakshmi & Durairaj, DeepaChitra. (2022). Visual impairment in children with multiple disabilities in schools for children with special needs in South India. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. 70. 1307. 10.4103/ijo.IJO_1851_21.
  2. Vijayalakshmi P, Flora J, Shah G, Sahithya B, Gilbert C. Ocular signs, visual and general developmental outcome in Indian children with radiologically proven periventricular leukomalacia. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2022 Feb;70(2):619-624. doi: 10.4103/ijo.IJO_1779_21. PMID: 35086248; PMCID: PMC9023957.
  3. Gilbert, Clare & Vijayalakshmi, P. & Bhaskaran, Sahithya & Udupihille, Tavisha & Muhiddin, Habibah & Windy, Dyah Ayu & Panggalo, Idayani & Ruit, Sanduk & Adhikari, Srijana & Hussain, A. & Islam, Khaleda. (2021). Childhood Blindness and Visual Impairment. 10.1007/978-981-16-3787-2_11.
  4. Subathra G N, Durai I, Bhaskaran S. Congenital aniridia- there’s more than meets the eye. TNOA J Ophthalmic Sci Res 2021; 59:298-300
  5. Ehrlich JR, Flora HJ, Stagg BC, Vengadesh B, Willey G, Vardhan S A. Functional Difficulties of Patients Seeking Low Vision Services in South India. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2020 Sep-Oct;9(5):470-475. doi: 10.1097/APO.0000000000000285. PMID: 32371739; PMCID: PMC7541584.
  6. Beligere N, Perumalsamy V, Flora JH, Garska MJ (2020) Neurodevelopmental Disabilities in Children with Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Report from India. Int J Ophthalmol Clin Res 7:114. org/10.23937/2378-346X/1410114
  7. Bhaskaran, Sahithya & Lawrence, Linda & Flora, Jeyaseeli & Perumalsamy, Vijayalakshmi. (2018). Functional and cognitive vision assessment in children with autism spectrum disorder. Journal of American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. 22. 10.1016/j.jaapos.2018.03.010.
  8. Commentary: Low vision devices are a boon to patients with visual impairment due to retinal dystrophies. Bhaskaran, Sahithya; Sahoo, Jitendra Kumar1; Mishra, Chitaranjan2Jasti DN, Kowsalya A, Bhaskaran S, Jayasri K, Thanemozhi S, Kumar M. Optic atrophy in paediatric patients: A clinical review. TNOA J Ophthalmic Sci Res 2022; 60:158-61

Conference and Events:

Kerala Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons (KSOS) 49th Annual Conference:

Dr. Sahithya was a keynote speaker at the Kerala Society of Ophthalmic Surgeons’ 49th Annual Conference, discussing advances in early intervention strategies. The presentation, which included demonstrations of NVDA and Smart Vision Glass for children with special needs, was well received by the ophthalmologists.

AIOS Meeting in Cochin

Dr. Sahithya was invited as a faculty member to the All-India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) meeting in Cochin. She presented the preferred practice pattern for CVI and conducted an instructional course on the role of VEP in CVI.

Neuro Conference.

Dr. Sahithya was invited as a faculty member to speak on “Cerebral Visual Impairment – Intervention” at the Neuro Conference held at CMC, Vellore.

Highlights of 2024:

In the first quarter, the AEH Madurai has offered their services to 2000 beneficiaries by providing more than 2250 sessions/interventions.

Smartphone distribution event: