Occupational Optometry Services

Improving Visual Health in the Digital Age

The Optometry Confederation of India (OCI) and Department of Occupational Optometry Services Sankara Nethralaya have joined forces to launch Improving Visual Health in the Digital Age, India’s first evidence-based document crafted exclusively for IT professionals.

Developed by leading optometrists, this ground breaking initiative addresses the growing concerns of digital eye strain and provides actionable solutions to safeguard visual health in the digital era. This unique document marks a significant milestone in advancing eye care tailored to the needs of India’s tech-driven workforce.

Explore this innovative resource and take the first step towards healthier vision!

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Improving Visual Health in the Digital Age - A Quick Guide	Download

About Occupational Optometry Services

Eyes and Vision are integral part of all our daily activities right from reading, writing, grooming, cooking, driving etc. Good vision enables us to perform all our daily tasks with ease. When it comes to work, its just not the “Good Vision” but the “Adequate Vision”. To elaborate, Adequate vision is amount of vision required to perform a task with utmost efficiency and safety. This required vision scientifically termed as Vision Demand and it varies from one occupation to another. This branch of optometric practice is known as Occupational Optometry. - that is concerned with the efficient and safe visual functioning of an individual at work. Here, we attempt to comprehend the connection between the eye, tasks, and work conditions through a method known as Visual Task Analysis.

This approach is geared towards gathering insights into the visual requirements imposed on individuals by their respective jobs. An optometrist, eye care professional conducts on-site visits to collect relevant details that could impact an individual's visual performance at the workplace.

The information obtained will primarily aid us in comprehending the diverse visual functions necessary for performing occupational tasks and in establishing the visual function parameters known as Vision Standards. These observation are also used to arrive at the battery of tests and assist optometrists in prescribing the correct refractive correction to meet the visual demand of the individual's job, as well as recommending suitable lens designs.

What do we do?

We take steps to understand the relationship between vision, work, and the work environment through a procedure called Visual Task Analysis. This process aims to gather information about the visual demands each job places on an individual in their work. An optometrist, or eye care professional, collects details that may influence an employee’s visual performance by visiting the work site.

In an industrial setting, vision standards are established after assessing occupational visual needs. These standards help employers determine whether an employee is visually fit to perform their job. If an employee does not meet the visual requirements for their role, they are referred to an eye care practitioner for further evaluation and treatment.

With the appropriate visual aids or corrective lenses, the employee can then perform their tasks efficiently. In addition to addressing visual needs, the optometrist can also recommend safety eyewear, tints, or coatings that enhance visual efficiency at their workplace.

What do we observe during visual task analysis?

The nature of your job, the distance between your eyes and the working target, the size of the objects you work with, the size of the work area, lighting levels at the workplace, the presence of hazardous materials or chemicals, and the need for personal protective equipments will be assessed. This information is processed using optometric language to determine the visual demands for various jobs or occupations.These visual demands, also referred to as Vision Standards, are specific to each task.

Vision Standards

In simple terms, when you apply for a driving license, you are required to provide a medical certificate stating that your vision is 6/12 for distance and that you have normal color vision to ensure you are fit for safe driving. These predetermined vision requirements for specific tasks are called Vision Standards, and they vary by occupation. Vision standards are typically established for jobs that involve public safety, such as the Army, Drivers, Navy, Pilots, and Railway employees. Understanding the visual needs of different occupations helps eye care practitioners provide more than just a pair of spectacles; it ensures that individuals can perform their tasks safely and effectively.

Clinical Services

In-office service

Pre-employment eye examination

In order to ensure your capacity to perform your duties with optimal efficiency, your employer or organization requires you to provide a visual fitness certificate as part of the pre-employment process. Especially in roles deemed more sensitive, such as those within railways, army, navy, commercial driving, and other industrial sectors, conducting tests on applicants before hiring can decrease the likelihood of accidents and potential liability for the company.

Along with the recommended examinations for visual fitness certificate, you will undergo comprehensive eye examination that includes power check, Intraocular pressure check and dilated retinal examination When you are referred for acquiring fitness certificate for color vision as part of for pre-employment requirement , you will undergo exclusive color vision test along with the comprehensive eye examination

Color Vision Clinic

The department is equipped with exclusive color vision tests designed to meet the specific requirements of various occupational color vision needs like Ishihara Pseudo Isochromatic plate test, AO-HRR Pseudo Isochromatic plate test, FM 100 Hue test and Farnsworth Lantern signal test.

Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates

AO H-R-R Pseudoisochromatic Plates

Farnsworth Lantern Signal Test

Farnsworth Munsell 100 Hue Test

Dispensing Occupational Eye Wear

Just as the visual demands vary across different occupations, the hazards associated with each occupation also differ, necessitating specific and tailored approaches to address them effectively for utmost ocular safety.

1. Occupational lenses i.e. the spectacle designs are customized and dispensed according to the occupational needs addressed specifically.

2. Personal Protective Equipment – If the working area has dust/flying particle or heat, then you might need safety eye wear, that protects your eyes from these hazards

3. Prescription Safety Eye Wear: The safety eye wear can be incorporated with the refractive error correction (power glasses), which will serve the dual purpose.

4. Specialty lenses: We are also equipped with Enchroma glasses for trial, specialty lenses that are designed for the people diagnosed with color vision deficiency.

Off-campus service

Eye care at door steps:

We offer comprehensive eye care services directly to industries and corporate sectors as part of their statutory retirement and goodwill towards their employees. Our team of occupational optometrists will visit industrial sites and corporate offices, providing on-site comprehensive eye examinations to employees at their premises for added convenience and accessibility. The manufacturing process, differs based on the machineries involved, process of manufacturing and product manufactured. We follow a unique 7 step approach when it comes to off-camps services

At Industries

Statistics - 2023 - 2024 Total No - 1435

We provide eye care services to industries / corporate sectors at their premises as off-camps services as a part of their statutory requirement and good will to their employees.

We follow a unique 7 step approach when it comes to off-camps services.

I. Visual Task Analysis (VTA) at work place :

Visual task analysis aims at acquiring the information on visual demand each job creates on the individual worker at the job.

II. Identify the battery of tests :

Based on the visual task analysis of different jobs in work area, battery of tests will be planned and the visual capability and ocular status of the each employee will be documented.

III & IV. Comprehensive eye examination and Matching visual demand to visual ability :

The employees will undergo comprehensive eye examination similar to that of regular eye examination at eye hospital and their visual skills will be assessed if matching the occupational visual demand.

V. Indoctrination and education of employers, employees on vision care, eye safety at work, Personal Protective Equipments (PPE) :

The employees and employer will be educated on importance of regular eye check up and personal protective equipment and their benefit both to the individual and to the organization

VI. Report to the employer :

A report will be submitted to the employer along with the recommendations on spectacles, safety eye wear, lighting and other environmental related issues as observed by the optometrist.

VII. Regular follow-up / periodic eye examination:

This will be done after a period of six months to one year from the time of the report submitted to the employer. The aim of this visit is to see the impact of the service provided by the optometrists. It constitutes the visit to the work area, interaction with the supervisors, employees and the employer.

Color Vision Testing

Workers involved in tasks related to physical colors involving paints, pigments and screen color like displays/monitors require superior color perception to ensure better outcomes in terms of productivity and quality. Industries that seek our color vision test services as a statutory requirement can have the hue discrimination test conducted as an off-campus service. We will take the Ishihara Pseudo Isochromatic plate test and FM100 Hue colour vision test equipment to the industrial premises and will perform the test at their convinence

Community Services

Statistics - 2023 - 2024 Total No - 6058

Unorganized sector:

The unorganized sector comprises over 81% of the country's workforce, with key sectors including Agriculture (53.55%), Construction (12.19%), Domestic and Household Workers (8.73%), Apparel (6.26%), and Miscellaneous (3.3%). These workers face challenges such as seasonal employment, lack of formal employer-employee relationships, and inadequate social security. Uncorrected visual impairment adds to the economic burden. Providing eye care services to this population can boost the economy. Near-vision impairment (NVI) affects over a billion people globally, impacting productivity. The World Report on Vision highlights the economic consequences of uncorrected presbyopia, affecting up to 800 million individuals.

The occupational optometry services cater to the visual needs of the deserving group of unorganised sector workers with CSR funds from various corporate sectors. We in specific deal with the occupational needs which would enhance their productivity. This novel service not only enhance visual capabilities of individual it also enlighten the family who are dependent on the workers in unorganised sector. We have served to many unorganised sector under this scheme

Our previous experience with unorganized sector :

We have developed vision standards and ocular personal protective equipment for various unorganized sectors, which include

Automobile mechanics
Sculpting - Stone and Metal
Wood carving
Tea plantation
Hairdressing
Salt cultivation
Building construction
Electric and electronic
Tailoring and embroidery designing
Goldsmith

11. Gardening and farming

12. Weaving

13. Drivers - Truck and Auto drivers

14. Watch repairing

15. Women self-help groups

16. Mobile phone assembly

17. Farmers and Agricultural workers

18. Salt pan workers

19. Wooden toy makers

20. Tea Plantation workers

21. Rubber Plantation workers

Empower Vision, Protect their Eyes: Support Unorganized Sector Workers Today! Click to know further.

Awards and Honors

Dr. PP Santanam:

The Indian Association of Occupational Health for his contribution to occupational health in India and internationally gave him in 1995 the 'Best Resource Person Award',in the year 2007 honoured him as "Fellow of Indian Association of Occupational Health" and in 2020, bestowed on him "Dr C.K. Ramchandar Memorial Lifetime Achievement Award". He has instituted Awards, one, "Judge. P.V. Parameswara Iyer and Smt. Kamala Bai Endowment Award" for PhD, research and optometry related training, and the other "Dr. S.Ramakrishnan and Smt. Bhagavathy Endowment Award" for occupational eye/vision related research and community services.

Dr. R Krishnakumar:

He was honoured to deliver the Devasahayam memorial oration in the year 2016 at the Indian association of occupational health (IAOH - TN chapter).

Dr. Rashima Asokan:

In the 69th OCCUCON conference of IAOH (2019) Dr. Rashima Asokan received the "Young scientist award" for the best paper presentation in the National conference OCCUCON 2018. She was awarded the Golden Jubilee medal for her best presentation from Tamil Nadu branch in OCCUCON 2018, at the 67th state annual medical conference of IAOH, Tamil Nadu.

Ms Janani S:

The Ruby banik and Swarnalatha Award for Best Research in Clinical Research 2021 was awarded to Ms Janani S, Senior Optometrist for the paper entitled Visual, ocular profile and perceived impact of photochromatic spectacles among salt pan workers in Marakkanam Town, Tamil Nadu.

Ms Ishwarya S:

In 2nd Indian Vision Institute - Eye Health on Changing world: Received Best oral presentation award on the paper entitled : Association of Life time Ocular UV exposure with Pseudo-exfoliation syndrome - A hospital based study.

In ARVO India - 27th Annual Meeting Indian Eye Research Group (IERG): Ms Ishwarya received award for Best E-Poster Presentation on the paper entitled "Evaluating the effect of ocular UV exposure as a major causative risk factor and risk modeling for pseudo exfoliation syndrome"

IAOH 72nd National Conference - OCCUCON 2022: Received "Young Scientist Award" for the paper entitled "Impact of UV and air pollution on ocular surface disorders with emphasis on cataract and pterygium among outdoor workers"

Team Members

Dr Rashima Asokan - Head of the Department

Ms Janani S - Senior Occupational Optometrist, PhD scholar

Ms Jeevitha A - Occupational Optometrist

Ms Indira R - Occupational Optometrist

Ms Nandhini R - Occupational Optometrist

Ms Pavithra R - Occupational Optometrist

Mr Lingesh Kumar V - Optician

Dr PP Santanam & Dr R Krishnakumar (Advisors)

Contact

For contact on in office / off-campus occupational optometry services -

write to occupationaloptometry@snmail.org / rashima@snmail.org

For any CSR activities write to rashima@snmail.org

Phone: 044-28271616 - Intercom: 1361 / connect to Dr. Rashima / Ms.Janani S

Mobile: +91-9500062027