Dr Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital marks 100 years since foundation stone laid in 1924

Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital (SCEH) has marked 100 years since the laying of its foundation stone in 1924, following the establishment of its charitable trust in 1922. Founded by missionary ophthalmologist Dr. S. P. Shroff in a single room in Old Delhi’s Daryaganj, the institution has expanded into an eye care institute guided by the principle that quality eye care must be accessible to all, irrespective of socio-economic background. Mandated to provide at least 50 per cent of its surgical services free of cost to those unable to afford care, SCEH continues its work to eliminate avoidable blindness through equitable and high-quality care, serving national leaders and daily wage workers.

To mark the centenary, the hospital unveiled a commemorative coffee table book documenting its journey, clinical services and innovation, and outlining its plans focused on expanding access, strengthening training, advancing research and leveraging digital health, with increased focus on preventive and community-based eye care.

Dr Umang Mathur, CEO, Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, said, “For 100 years, SCEH has stood as a beacon of conscious charity where excellence and empathy coexist. In a country where avoidable blindness remains a major public health challenge, access to timely and quality eye care must be treated not as a privilege but as a fundamental right. From a single-room clinic, SCEH has grown into a wide network of seven secondary centres and 114 vision centres, performing 80,000 surgeries, screening over 200,000 children annually, and reaching more than 2 million individuals through community outreach programmes supported by partners such as Standard Chartered Bank. Over the decades, SCEH has developed comprehensive subspecialty services across cornea, glaucoma, vitreo-retina, oculoplasty, ocular oncology, pediatric ophthalmology and neuro-ophthalmology, supported by a dedicated quality framework with over 31 measurable clinical indicators. As the burden of cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and childhood blindness rises, we remain committed to innovation, expansion, and the highest standards of care, ensuring no one is denied sight due to lack of means.”

The institution has introduced keratoplasty procedures and established an eye bank in North India that has restored sight to thousands. It launched India’s first Children’s Eye Care Centre in partnership with Orbis International and has undertaken stem cell research and training collaborations. Its Children’s Eye Health initiatives provide free treatment for retinoblastoma and retinopathy of prematurity. Education and training programmes support underprivileged youth, including women. The hospital has also conducted cataract elimination programmes in Botswana.

On the future roadmap, Dr. Mathur added, “With a robust leadership council and strengthened governance, SCEH 2.0 seeks not only to grow in scale but also to deepen its impact, ensuring that quality, compassion, and innovation remain central as the hospital steps into its second century. The next century will demand not only scale but smarter, technology-enabled care. By 2030, we aim to expand to 10 centres, 150 Vision centres and increase annual surgeries to 1.50 lakh per year. We will invest deeply in stem cell therapy, translational research, advanced training, and digital screening to tackle emerging challenges such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and childhood blindness. Our goal is clear i.e., universal, predictive, and preventive eye care so that avoidable blindness becomes rare in India, with services moving closer to communities rather than remaining hospital centric.”

As the institution enters its second century, the centenary marks a continuation of its stated purpose shaped by clinicians, nurses, community workers and partners over decades. The hospital stated that free and paying patients receive the same standard of care.