Sankara Eye Hospitals, in association with VISION 2020 India, will host the 20th Annual VISION 2020 India Conference from July 10 to 12, 2026, in Bengaluru. The conference will bring together ophthalmologists, optometrists, public health experts, policymakers, researchers, development partners and healthcare professionals to discuss the future of eye care in India.
The conference will be held under the theme, “Innovation, Collaboration and Impact in Eye Care – Vision for Viksit Bharat 2047.” According to the organisers, the three-day event will serve as a platform for knowledge exchange, showcasing innovations and strengthening partnerships aimed at eliminating avoidable blindness while advancing equitable, accessible and quality eye care.
The scientific programme has been organised around five thematic tracks: Innovations and Technological Solutions in Eye Care, Collaboration for Universal Eye Health, Impact, Equity, Sustainability and Quality in Eye Care, Excellence in Optometry and Allied Ophthalmic Personnel, and Sharing Knowledge Repository: Towards Organisational Excellence and Growth.
According to the organisers, the programme will cover emerging technologies and digital innovations in eye care, partnerships across government, healthcare institutions, non-governmental organisations and industry, evidence-based approaches to patient care, skill development for allied eye care professionals, and knowledge sharing among member organisations.
The conference will also include a leadership session chaired by Dr Rajesh Saini, President, VISION 2020 India. Speakers will include Dr R. V. Ramani, Peter Holland and Heidi Chase. Former India cricket captain and member of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team Krishnamachari Srikkanth will deliver a session titled “Leadership Lessons from Cricket”, focusing on leadership, teamwork, resilience and high performance.
Speaking about the conference, Dr Kaushik Murali, President – Medical Administration, Quality & Education, Sankara Eye Foundation India, said, “As we celebrate the 20th edition of the VISION 2020 India Conference, our focus is firmly on the future of eye care. Advances in artificial intelligence, digital health and innovative service delivery models have the potential to transform access to quality eye care across India. This conference provides an important platform for clinicians, researchers, policymakers and healthcare leaders to collaborate, exchange ideas and develop scalable solutions that will contribute to achieving universal eye health and support India’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.”
The conference coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Sankara movement. According to the organisers, Sankara Eye Hospitals has delivered eye care services to underserved communities through outreach and service delivery models over the past five decades.
The event will feature keynote addresses, plenary discussions, panel discussions, paper presentations, workshops and interactive sessions. Discussions will cover emerging technologies, artificial intelligence, digital health solutions, quality improvement initiatives, community ophthalmology, public-private partnerships and capacity building.
Dr Rajesh Saini, President, VISION 2020: The Right to Sight – India, said, “The 20th Annual Conference of VISION 2020 India reaffirms that the future of eye care will be defined not by individual institutions, but by the strength of our collective vision. As India advances towards Viksit Bharat 2047, we have a unique opportunity to build an integrated, technology-enabled, and patient-centric eye care ecosystem that is equitable, resilient, and sustainable. Achieving this vision will require the spirit of SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals, bringing together government, healthcare institutions, academia, civil society, industry, and development partners to drive innovation and scale impact.”
According to the organisers, VISION 2020 India has, over the past two decades, brought together institutions working to eliminate avoidable blindness through advocacy, capacity building, research and knowledge sharing. The organisers expect the 20th edition of the conference to strengthen collaborations and contribute to the roadmap for eye health in India.
The conference is expected to attract delegates from across the country and provide opportunities for scientific exchange, policy dialogue and collaborative action to support progress towards universal eye health.
Peter Holland, Chief Executive Officer, International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB), said, “India is demonstrating strong, sustained leadership in advancing eye health. It was a pleasure to hear more about this at the 20th Annual Conference of Vision 2020: Right to Sight India. The country’s elimination of trachoma, inclusion of cataract surgery in publicly financed health schemes, and expansion of eye-care services – from early-years screening to wider community access – shows what effective government action and cross-sector collaboration can achieve.”