History
Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya ( SSN ) was established in 1994 in Guwahati by Sri Kanchi Sankara Health and Educational Foundation (SKSHEF). Originally functioning in an 8000 sq ft donated building as a tertiary care facility, it was dedicated to the nation by the then Prime Minister of India, Late. P. V. Narasimha Rao.
In 1997 the Governor of Assam Late. Loknath Mishra inaugurated the Structured Community Outreach Program
The eye bank was established in 1998.
Center of Excellence
Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya was declared a Center of Excellence in 2004 by the Honorable Prime Minister of India Shri. Manmohan Singh. SSN now serves as a Center of Excellence for :
- State of the Art Eye Care (all specialties and community service)
- Training eye care professionals
- Training for paramedical programs (government and private)
- Medical and para medical education and
- Research
Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya’s mission is to provide education and training in high quality comprehensive eye care to promote, prevent, cure and rehabilitate those in need of affordable eye care in North East India. Approximately 18% of India’s cataract population lives in Assam.
While rich in culture and natural resources the north eastern region of India is isolated and underdeveloped. Lack of professional and specialty health and eye care services forces patients to travel long distances to find tertiary as well as primary care services. 
We serve all of Assam and neighboring areas
SSN’s service area in Assam covers 178 villages touching about 1,39,680 lives in the Dimoria Development Block. This project area is divided into seven clusters : 1. Baruabari 2. Kamalabari 3. Nartap 4. Digaru 5. Gomaria 6. Dhopguri 7. Maloibari
Between 2014-2018 approximately 400 free cataract surgeries were performed and 4000 patients have been cured of cataract blindness with all of them returning to their original jobs. Many women joined self-help groups helping them to socialize freely and regain their dignity. By the end of 2018 the Governor of Assam declared all the adopted villages as Avoidable Blindness Free villages.
Over 2300 patients were cured of Cataract Blindness and returned to their jobs in the Sonapur area. Sonapur has also since been declared a Avoidable Blindness Free village.
SSN conducts free cataract surgeries and intraocular lens implants for children in 29 districts of Assam through the Sarba Siksha Abhijan ( SSA ) initiative.
SSN’s service extends to Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya and other north eastern regions of India. SSN has surveyed, rehabilitated and performed curative surgeries in the Kamrup region of Assam as well as all the blind schools of north eastern states. These reports have been published in several leading medical journals. To make their services effective SSN collaborates with local NGOs such as Ram Krishna Mission, Bharat Sewa Ashram, Brahma Kumari, Sankar Sangha, Light for the World, Mission for Vision and others.
Comprehensive Eye Services
Sri Sankaradeva Nethralaya’s comprehensive eye care services include diseases of the eye and retina, glaucoma, uvea, squint, contact lens, ocular injury, eye tumors, ocular prosthesis, neuro opthalmology, cornea, retinal disorders, dry eyes and many others.
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