WHO’s first World report on Vision in 2019 states that globally 2.2 billion people suffer from vision impairment and some form of blindness. Of which 1 billion such cases suffer from vision impairment that can easily be treated. 41% of children, 42% of drivers and 45% of elderly Indians suffer from short and farsightedness, despite the option of getting refractive error corrected through eyeglasses that cost as low as Rs 200. 

Poor vision, due to lack of access to eyeglasses, is easily the largest unaddressed disability in the world. To address this pressing issue EyeNetra was formed. Vitor Pamplona & Ramesh Raskar wanted to make vision testing tools easily be available to all and get used through mobile refractive clinics and screening events. 

NETRA was originally a project of the MIT Media Lab Camera Culture Group and was later turned into EyeNetra in 2011. Netra-G is a smartphone peripheral that measures nearsightedness, farsightedness, age-related blurriness, pupillary distance, and astigmatism. After conducting the test, an app connects the user to the right healthcare providers depending on their eye condition.

Their self-diagnostic eye test technology screens for short-sightedness, long-sightedness and astigmatism along with the distance between pupils to determine where to centre each lens inside the frame of the glasses. They also had plans to use their eye test in the virtual reality (VR) world. By aligning the eye lens, prescription lens, and the virtual-reality screen, they aim to offer the ultimate VR experience that is based on personalized vision correction.

EyeNetra has so far raised $7 million from Khosla Impact, Khosla Ventures and VSP Global. They had received $4 million in their latest funding round that occurred in 2014. Their clinical validation partners include Indian-based LV Prasad Eye Institute, Boston-based England College of Optometry and Indian-based Lotus Eye Hospital and Institute. Some of their customers include Oculus, Optical Express, EyeQue to name a few.

Will EyeNetra help India’s 550 million people get their vision checked and corrected and thereby help save India from an estimated loss of $37 billion due to poor vision?