R ARIVANANTHAM
CHENNAI, OCT 8
Eyesight is too precious to be taken for granted—and too important to be lost for want of awareness, timely screening or access to treatment. Driving home this life-changing message on World Sight Day 2026, Appasamy Associates Private Limited (AAPL) and Vision 2020 – The Right to Sight, India, brought together eye-care professionals, students, volunteers and community members in Chennai to champion preventive eye care, early diagnosis and the transformative gift of cornea donation.
Moving beyond conventional awareness campaigns, the initiative combined public education, expert deliberations, community mobilisation and eye screening to drive home a compelling message: protecting vision begins with prevention, while restoring sight can begin with a pledge to donate corneas.
- Cricket legend Krishnamachari Srikanth lends his voice to glaucoma awareness and eye donation
- 350-plus participants, including 53 visually impaired volunteers, form human chain to champion cornea donation
- Eye screening camp benefits more than 400 people, underscoring the importance of early detection
- Vision 2020 India spotlights disability equality, honours excellence and renews commitment to eliminating avoidable blindness
A major highlight was the launch of an eye-care awareness video featuring former Indian cricket captain and Vision 2020 India Goodwill Ambassador K. Srikanth. Using his public profile to amplify the cause, Srikanth highlighted glaucoma awareness and eye donation, urging people to take proactive steps to safeguard their vision and help others regain sight.
The initiative sought to bring often-overlooked eye conditions into sharper public focus, reinforcing the importance of regular eye examinations, early diagnosis and timely medical intervention. Glaucoma, in particular, demands greater public awareness because vision loss can progress without obvious early warning signs.
The programme also brought the interconnected themes of cornea donation and disability equality into the spotlight, underlining the need for a more informed, inclusive society in which preventable vision loss is addressed and people with visual impairments are treated with dignity and afforded equal opportunities.
Human chain turns awareness into a collective pledge
Taking the message directly to the community, more than 350 participants joined a human-chain formation activity, including ITI students, AAPL representatives, Vision 2020 teams and 53 visually impaired volunteers from Nethrodaya Social Service Institution, Chennai.
The visually impaired volunteers were integral participants in the awareness initiative, reinforcing the importance of inclusion and collective responsibility in the movement for eye health. The activity encouraged members of the public to pledge their corneas and help give the gift of sight to people living with corneal blindness.
The human chain was followed by an eye-screening camp that reached more than 400 community members. By encouraging people to undergo screening and seek professional consultation wherever necessary, the camp reinforced the importance of identifying potential eye problems before they lead to irreversible damage.
Together, the activities demonstrated how community participation can turn an awareness message into meaningful action—whether through regular screening, timely treatment or a pledge to donate corneas.
Industry and eye-care leaders reinforce the message
Speaking on the initiative, Senthil Kumar, CEO, Appasamy Associates, said,
“Eye health is an essential part of overall well-being, yet several vision-related conditions can remain undetected. Through our World Sight Day initiatives, we aim to take the message of preventive eye care to the community and encourage people to make regular eye screening a priority, which will enable early treatment when needed.”
Kuldeep Singh, President, Vision 2020, said,
“On World Sight Day, we join the global community to highlight the priceless gift of sight and recommit to our shared mission: eliminating avoidable blindness and visual impairment.”
The programme also featured a panel discussion bringing together experts to deliberate on key eye-care challenges, with emphasis on awareness, prevention and early intervention. Vision 2020 India announced the Lifetime Achievement Award and Guru Dronacharya Award as part of its efforts to recognise contributions and excellence in the eye-care field.
The event brought together leading representatives from the eye-care sector, including Senthil Kumar, Dr S. Arvind, CMO and Director of Projects, Aravind Eye Hospital, Dr S.V. Chandar and Kuldeep Singh, President, Vision 2020, alongside other dignitaries.
From awareness to action
The Chennai initiative underscored the importance of a coordinated approach involving healthcare professionals, industry, institutions and citizens in tackling avoidable blindness and visual impairment.
Regular eye examinations, greater awareness of conditions such as glaucoma, prompt medical consultation and improved understanding of cornea donation can all contribute to better eye-health outcomes. Equally important is ensuring that people with visual impairments participate fully in community life and are recognised as equal stakeholders in public-health initiatives.
Through its World Sight Day activities, Appasamy Associates, in association with Vision 2020 India, reaffirmed its commitment to eye-care awareness, accessibility and community outreach.
The larger message is unmistakable: protecting sight requires timely action, while restoring it can begin with an act of generosity. A screening appointment can safeguard a person’s vision; a cornea donation pledge can help another person see the world anew.