Sankara Eye Hospital in Coimbatore has unveiled a cutting-edge LASIK Laser Centre at its Sivanandapuram campus and announced an ambitious plan to screen every school student in Coimbatore district for vision issues within the next year. The initiative will be carried out under its flagship Rainbow Programme, according to Dr. R.V. Ramani, Founder and Managing Trustee of Sankara Eye Foundation India.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held on April 24, 2025, Dr. Ramani highlighted the hospital’s commitment to community service, noting that Sankara Eye Hospital will enter its 49th year of operations in May 2025. The Rainbow Programme aims to identify and treat eye conditions in children early to prevent avoidable blindness. Dr. Ramani affirmed that the entire student population across Coimbatore district will be covered by the programme in the coming year.
Currently, the Foundation operates 14 Sankara Eye Hospitals across India. The most recent facility was inaugurated in Varanasi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As per the Prime Minister’s directive, the Foundation is preparing to establish a new eye care centre in Patna, Bihar, with the state government having already allocated land in central Patna for the project.
To date, Sankara Eye Hospitals have provided treatment to over 1 crore individuals suffering from various eye ailments. Dr. Ramani also acknowledged the support of Mr. Sanjay Datta, President of the ICICI Foundation for Inclusive Growth, who visited the hospital a year ago and pledged continued support for its services after being impressed by its work.
As per the Prime Minister’s directive, the Foundation is preparing to establish a new eye care centre in Patna, Bihar, with the state government having already allocated land in central Patna for the project.
District Collector of Coimbatore, Mr. Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar, who inaugurated the new LASIK facility, praised the hospital for setting new benchmarks in eye care and delivering compassionate service throughout Tamil Nadu. He commended the hospital’s efforts in transforming lives through vision restoration and pledged the administration’s continued cooperation.
Highlighting the technical prowess of the new LASIK centre, Dr. J.K. Reddy, Director and Technical Head of Cornea & Refractive Surgery, introduced the German-engineered Schwind Amaris 1050RS laser system installed at the facility. He noted that the equipment offers unparalleled speed, precision, and safety in vision correction procedures. The device evaluates the patient’s eye condition and transmits the data directly into the system, eliminating the need for traditional mix-and-match diagnoses and ensuring precise correction of refractive errors.
Founded in 1977 by Dr. R.V. Ramani and Dr. Radha Ramani as a modest primary healthcare centre, Sankara Eye Foundation has evolved into one of India’s leading not-for-profit social enterprises in eye care. Operating 14 super-specialty hospitals across more than 10 states, the Foundation plays a pivotal role in the National Eye Health Care Movement.