Given the huge population of visually impaired persons in our country, a strategic approach to getting them into the mainstream has to be adopted.

A quick look at the current mindset:

A majority of people including family members, administrators, policy makers, ophthalmologists, bureaucrats, and blind people themselves are still struggling with the charity mindset.

Situation can change only if the blind and visually impaired persons are looked upon as potential human resource for the country and development investments have to be made with this in mind.

1. Early intervention: Our health services have to reach out to every family in the country. Vision impairments have to be detected early. Ophthalmologists have to begin thinking beyond surgical solutions. They need to be sensitive and aware that their patients are human beings with potential and have possibilities in life ahead of them.

2. Quality education has to be delivered. Good human resource can be developed only if quality education is provided. Here we are talking of

a. High class primary /secondary education
b. Good quality English language teaching
c. Teaching of Maths and Science right through till class 12. (not just to grasp mathematical/scientific concepts but also to develop intellectual qualities of logic, analysis, precision and clarity in communication etc.)
d. Technologies to be used right from early classes
e. Teacher's training to research and explore pedagogy that is universal
f. Curriculum to be revisited

3. Advocacy/sensitisation/awareness campaigns with Ophthalmologists, bureaucrats, policy makers, politicians, educationists and so on.
4. Quality employability/employment programmes to be developed

Let us not treat/address the symptoms, let us get to the root of the issues plaguing the blind and visually impaired people of our country.