Sankara Nethralaya Launches Sports Optometry Research Lab

Speedy Summary

• A sports optometry research lab was launched at the Elite School of Optometry’s (ESO) International Vision Science and Optometry Conference (EIVOC 2025) in Chennai.
• The conference spans three days with over 60 speakers globally, addressing topics from basic optometry to advanced areas such as AI and imaging.
• Cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth inaugurated the lab alongside T.S. Surendran (Chairman, Sankara Nethralaya), Girish Shiva Rao (President and Medical Director), and N. Anuradha (Principal, ESO).
• The research lab aims to enhance athletes’ visual efficiency for better performance in sports through integrated clinical training.
• Dignitaries unveiled 10 new textbooks on optometry, a website for an optics module, a digital psychophysics lab, and an app for optometric essentials.
• The Indian chapter of Global Leaders in Optometry for Women was initiated to support women professionals in the field.
• P.D. Santanam, S. Pradeep, V. Vasudevan lakshminarayanan, Rashima Asok were among key participants.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The inauguration of the sports optometry research lab highlights a forward-thinking approach to integrating science with sports performance enhancement in India-a step that could benefit both professional athletics and broader applications like occupational vision standards over time. By providing global insights at EIVOC 2025 on emerging trends like AI-infused diagnostics and creating academic tools/resources (e.g., textbooks & apps), this initiative supports India’s evolving medical education ecosystem.

Furthermore, launching initiatives geared towards women’s leadership in optometry aligns well with broader gender parity goals while encouraging younger participation in healthcare domains traditionally underrepresented by women.

By hosting events bridging academia/research fields globally & domestically-such as through this conference-the nation bolsters its credibility/prestigious position within advanced eye-health sciences; linking talent pipelines facing demands across highly diverse industrial ecosystems⚪ local/state policy Challenges réponses grow robust frameworks real networks connected nations online..