Mankind Pharma, in academic association with All India Ophthalmological Society (AIOS) and Eye Bank Association of India (EBAI), organized Vision Continuum 2026 under the theme “Connecting Care. Preserving Sight. Across Generations.” The initiative focused on key priorities in eye care, with a particular focus on the awareness of corneal transplantation, childhood myopia and overall eye health. Through knowledge-sharing and awareness-building efforts, the initiative aimed to highlight the importance of eye donation, encourage early detection and timely intervention for childhood myopia and empower parents and communities with the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about eye care.

As part of this effort, Mankind Pharma has contributed to the cause by developing the Vision Growth Card, in association with AIOS, to track children’s visual development, encourage regular follow-ups between parents and eye-care professionals. Through a combination of innovation, education and awareness, this collaborative initiative reflects a shared commitment to improving eye health, empowering communities with knowledge and creating a lasting positive impact on society.

The programme was attended by Dr. J. S. Titiyal, President, AIOS; Dr. Namrata Sharma, Scientific Chairperson, AIOS; Dr. Pravin K. Vaddavalli, Program Director, Universal Cornea Care Mission; among other leading ophthalmologists and healthcare stakeholders.

Mr. Sudipta Roy, Senior President – Sales and Marketing, Mankind Pharma Ltd., said, the prevalence of myopia in children may increase to 48.14% in 2050 as per the data[1]. Childhood myopia requires early attention, regular monitoring and timely intervention.

Dr. J. S. Titiyal, President, AIOS, highlighted that corneal blindness remains a major cause of preventable and treatable vision loss in India. He noted that for patients with severe corneal damage due to disease, injury or infection, transplantation may offer the opportunity to restore sight. Emphasizing the need to bridge the gap between the demand for and availability of donor corneas, he called for greater public awareness and participation in eye donation. He also highlighted the potential of the Vision Growth Card to encourage parents to take an active role in monitoring their children’s visual development and ensuring regular eye-care follow-ups.

Dr. Namrata Sharma, Scientific Chairperson, AIOS, emphasized the urgent need to strengthen India’s eye donation and corneal transplantation ecosystem. In 2025–26, 54,048 corneas were collected, while 28,323 corneal transplants were performed across the country. With India requiring approximately 200,000 corneas annually, the current collection of around 54,000 corneas underscores the substantial gap between demand and availability. She noted that although eye donation and transplantation have improved in the post-COVID period, the numbers remain below pre-pandemic levels. Highlighting the importance of continuity in childhood vision care, she added that regular monitoring and structured documentation such as Vision Growth Card can support timely intervention and better communication between parents and eye-care professionals.