Looking beyond legacy tech: Zeiss aims to transform eye care access in India – Healthcare News

India faces an eye health crisis that spans all age groups. It is estimated that 12 million people in the country are blind, and an additional 50 million suffer from visual impairment. The situation is compounded by the fact that India is home to 80 million diabetic patients, but shockingly, 50% don’t even know they are diabetic. Within this group, 80% are at risk of diabetic eye disease, yet few undergo timely screening—making this a silent epidemic of blindness in the making. The prevalence of cataract, responsible for 66.2% of blindness cases, and the silent rise of glaucoma (affecting 12 million Indians), underscores the urgent need for awareness and early intervention.

Thankfully, the integration of technologies like AI and robotics in ophthalmology is transforming eye care in the country. Take Zeiss, which holds a dominant position in the Indian ophthalmology and microsurgery market. The German company, which specialises in optics and optoelectronics, is helping eye specialists with new-age AI enabled medical technologies and tools to flag anomalies quickly.

Ophthalmologists at leading healthcare facilities like Aravind Eye Hospitals, Nethradhama Super Speciality Eye Hospital, LV Prasad Eye Institute and Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital, are making use of cutting-edge equipment from Zeiss, that allows them to see the inner workings of the eye in unprecedented detail, often detecting problems before they become symptomatic.

These advancements enable early and accurate diagnosis, personalised treatment plans, and improved surgical precision, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes.  “AI-powered diagnostics are playing a crucial role in detecting conditions like diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma at an early stage, while robotic-assisted surgeries are improving efficiency and reducing recovery times,” said Dipu Bose, head—Medical Technology, Zeiss India and Neighboring Markets.

Eye care starts with correct diagnosis

Accurate diagnosis is the cornerstone of effective eye care. Even minor errors in early diagnosis can lead to major complications if not addressed promptly. Thanks to modern eye care technology, eye specialists can now pinpoint problems with incredible precision. “AI-powered diagnostic tools are increasingly being used to analyse retinal images, helping doctors detect diseases with exceptional accuracy. These tools can analyse thousands of images in minutes, aiding in early diagnosis and allowing for faster treatment planning,” said Bose.

“At Zeiss India, we are committed to driving innovation in ophthalmology by leveraging AI and robotics to support eye care professionals with advanced tools, such as Cirrus PathFinder, Surgery Optimizer, SMILE Pro, that enhance precision, efficiency, and accessibility. As the demand for eye care services continues to grow, these technologies will be instrumental in making quality eye care more accessible and effective,” he emphasised.

Zeiss opened its global capability centre (GCC) in Bengaluru last year, and plans to double its workforce to 5,000 within three years. This facility will drive cloud computing, cybersecurity and software development for Zeiss’ medical tech division, integrating Indian talent into its global operations.

Zeiss collaboration with IISc for research lab

More recently, Zeiss has collaborated with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to start a research lab for AI in eye care at the IISc campus in Bengaluru. Additionally, Zeiss’  Centre for Advanced Application Research in India (CARIn) drives its R&D efforts. For instance, a big chunk of R&D work on Zeiss Surgery Optimizer was done at CARIn. This is an AI-powered, cloud-based application designed to enhance cataract surgical training and review processes. 

Supriya Sriganesh, executive-director, Nethradhama Super Speciality Eye Hospital, said, “Analysing cases performed in my post-Surgery Optimizer era, I found that I had cut my average surgical time by about 50% to just 6.5 minutes compared to my pre-Surgery Optimizer times.”

Similarly, Zeiss SMILE Pro is an advanced, minimally invasive laser vision correction procedure. “It has elevated the way we approach laser vision correction. It is reassuring to offer a technology that puts safety and satisfaction at the centre,” said Ramya Sampath, regional medical director, Dr Agarwal’s Eye Hospital.

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