Explore the market in India

Even in the face of economic downturn, the ceiling for luxury foods in India continues to rise, e.g., while a liquor brand readies to launch a Rs.20 lakh (US $ 40,000) per bottle whisky in Delhi, local vegetable sellers continue to find buyers for guchchi (a rare mushroom) that comes for Rs.19,000/- (US $ 380) a kg. And the same is true for opticals and other eye- and hearing-care products.

At the time of my 2005 visit to International Optical Fair Tokyo, one exhibitor remarked, “we make expenstive frames, and India is hardly the market for these”, to which I replied, “India houses the poorest of the poor as also richest of the rich people”.

Optometry Today quarterly journal is currently accepting advertisements for its June 2008 issue under “1+1” offer, whereby the ad will be repeated free in September 2009 issue. Advertising on special positions like `Centre-spead’ and `Cover’ pages is booked on first-come-first-served basis, and details of advertising can be requested from

And although deadline to receive material is 31st May 2009, the earlier the space is booked the better.

Optometry Today, the official organ of Eye Care India, has been in publication since 1970.

Dr. Narendra Kumar

The festival of colours

Over the years, the holy festival of `holi’ has turned unholy because of the use of harmful colours necessitating advice from ophthalmologist Dr. Umesh Bareja of Sitaram Bhartiya Institute of Science & Research for the use of disposable contact lenses to protect eyes from chemicals-infested colours.

Gone are the days when the festival of colours used to be looked upon as the time of saying `hello’ even to foes. And the urge of using milk instead of colours by maker of Paras Milk is pleasantly striking!

Dr. Narendra Kumar

Colors of Mansi

While studying for MBA at Amity University, Noida, Mansi Gupta did her summer training at Bausch & Lomb Eyecare (India) Pvt. Ltd., Gurgaon. And having had this exposure to contact lenses, she completed an overseas contact lens company-sponsored research study on “Low market share of gas-permeable contact lenses in India”, that was highly applauded. Currently working as HR Officer at ICI Paints Ltd., Gurgaon, she has recently been presented with a specially-designed “It’s for you in 2009” table calendar by a recruitment associate, that truly speaks of the `Colors of Mansi’.

Dr. Narendra Kumar

Pat Price is no more

It was in 2005 that Ms. Pat Price was in contact with me regarding my presentation on one of the Accessible World symposiums that somehow couldn't take place. Pat was a friend of Hank (Professor Henry W Hofstetter) who was a friend of mine ever since he visited India, accompanied by his wife Jane, in 1970.

I'm grieved to hear about the passing away of Pat Price (on February 1, 2009) who worked selflessly to serve the interests of blind and visually-handicapped persons, and pray to God to give courage to her husband Marv Price to bear the irreparable loss and for the departed soul to rest in peace.

Dr. Narendra Kumar

Eye Check-up Camp

At the Eye Check-up Camp organized on World Sight Day, 8th October 2007, by Sri Sathya Sai Sewa Organization (of New Delhi) at MCD Primary School in Vikaspuri, Dr. Narendra Kumar, Trustee, Eye Care India, flanked by volunteers, examined 138 students, and those with ‘departures from normal’ were advised as under:

Rx for antibiotic eye drops - 12
Rx for vitamin B-complex - 13
Rx for multi-vitamin tabs. - 1
Advice for checking up of patency of lacrimal passage - 1
Advice for refraction check-up - 20
Advice for orthoptic check-up - 1
Advice for fundus examination - 2

There was one case each of the following conditions:

Sub-conjunctival haemorrhage
Blephritis
Suspected blockage of lacrimal duct

It was observed that attending to such students belonging to poor families will become more meaningful when rather than mere advice, there’s provision for free

1. Distribution of antibiotic eye drops & multivitamin preparations and
2. Professional refraction check-ups followed by dispensing of spectacles.

But since this exercise needs adequate funds, it was felt that there’s urgent need of contributions from corporate houses / funding organizations.

The picture shows (above) Dr. Kumar doing retinoscopy, and (below) students waiting for their turn at the Camp.

Dr. Narendra Kumar

History of Optometry in India

The Optometry Today’s website http://education.vsnl.com/optometry/ carries the brief history of optometry in India. And the illustration depicts the Near Vision Test Type narrating the `history’. The above reading test type was published by Optometry Today in 1993, and a copy of this chart is available free-of-charge to the subscribers of the quarterly journal till stock lasts.

Dr. Narendra Kumar

East meets west

On my visit to the US (in August 2007, accompanied by my wife Sheela), I took a stop-over at London. While taking a stroll in St. Georges Centre, Harrow, Middlesex, I casually stepped inside Boots Opticians practice to say hallo, and was pleasantly greeted by dispensing optician Mohammed Raza Alidina: “Are you Dr. Narendra Kumar? I have read your letters in Optician several times.”

In USA, on my visit to Southern College of Optometry at Memphis, I was greeted by Dr. Willis Maples: “I can now put a face to a name.” (I was in correspondence with Dr. Maples, but we had never met before!). The picture shows me with Dr. Pinakin Gunvant (left) and Dr. Maples (centre).

Dr. Narendra Kumar