ERC Lens

What ERC Lens does

ERC Lens, legally ERC Eye Care Private Limited (CIN U85100AS2013PTC011545), is a Guwahati-based eye care provider founded in 2013 by Dr. Parveez Ubed, operating a "phygital" model that combines seven hub hospitals across Assam with mobile eye units, free community eye camps, home eye test services, tele-ophthalmology, and an e-commerce optical storefront. Its service portfolio spans comprehensive eye checkups (starting at ₹49), cataract surgery with monofocal and multifocal lens options (starting at ₹3,990), and prescription eyeglasses across reading, computer, and kids categories (starting at ₹249). Distribution reaches rural and semi-urban Northeast India through 20,000+ cumulative eye camps, 100+ store partners, and NGO-coordinated outreach programs; cumulative reported metrics include 12 lakh+ patients served, 50,000+ surgeries, and 650,000+ eyeglasses delivered.

The company's revenue model is a hybrid of professional services (consultations, diagnostics, cataract surgery) and optical hardware sales, supplemented by free community outreach that functions as a top-of-funnel acquisition channel for paid procedures. Pricing is aggressively positioned for affordability, with zero-cost EMI (6-month and 12-month), ERC Flexi Pay installments, and insurance empanelment reducing friction on surgical conversions. The GTM motion is community-led, leveraging free camps and home visits to generate awareness in underserved geographies, then converting patients into hospital appointments and optical purchases.

The company is privately held, founder-led, and bootstrapped with its first disclosed institutional capital being a 2017 GOI North East Venture Fund grant (the first startup awarded under that scheme). It has validated its model through several competitive recognitions — World Bank India Development Marketplace 2014, Tata Social Enterprise Challenge 2013 (finalist), Mahindra Spark the Rise 2012 (winner), and ongoing media coverage in CNBC, Economic Times, and Outlook Business. Growth signals include ongoing hub expansion in Assam, optical store partnership growth to 100+, and the introduction of tele-ophthalmology and digital payment products. The principal strategic question is scalability beyond Northeast India given the geographic concentration of assets.

Name

ERC Lens

Legal name

ERC Eye Care Private Limited

Website

https://erclens.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ERC Lens (ERC Eye Care) is a Guwahati, Assam-based eye care provider operating seven hub hospitals across Northeast India, delivering affordable eye checkups, cataract surgery, eyeglasses, and tele-ophthalmology services to rural and semi-urban communities through mobile units, community camps, and home visits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Eye Care Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (621320), Offices of Physicians (62111), Optical Goods Retailers (456130)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Optometry Clinics (Primary Eye Care) (HLAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ambulatory Surgery Centers (Ophthalmic/Outpatient Eye Surgery) (HLAKAKAO), Reading Glasses (OTC) (CRAAAKAG)

Keywords

• Eye care services
• Cataract surgery
• Optical retail
• Tele-ophthalmology
• Outreach eye camps

Headquarters

HQ city

Guwahati

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Medical Services Revenue: Revenue from eye consultations, diagnostic services, and surgical procedures including cataract surgery. Eye checkups start at ₹49, cataract surgery from ₹3,990. Payment options include EMI plans and insurance acceptance.
2. Optical Products Sales: Sale of eyeglasses, frames, lenses, and sunglasses. Products include reading glasses, computer glasses, and kids' glasses starting from ₹249. Up to 40% discounts offered.
3. Outreach Camp Services: Eye screening programs conducted through community camps in rural areas. Services include preliminary screenings, awareness campaigns, and referrals to hospitals for follow-up treatment.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ERC Lens (ERC Eye Care) is an Assam-based eye care provider that delivers cataract surgery, comprehensive eye examinations, prescription eyeglasses, teleconsultations, and free home eye tests through a phygital network of 7 hub hospitals, mobile eye units, 100+ partner optical stores, and outreach eye camps. Its core sellable deliverables are ophthalmology consultations, cataract and other eye surgeries, and optical products (spectacles, frames, and lenses), supported by community outreach and tele-ophthalmology for rural Northeast India.

Product overview

ERC Eye Care operates as a comprehensive eye care service provider with a phygital (physical + digital) model. The core offerings include Home Eye Test services (free at-home examinations), Eye Test Camp/Outreach Camps (community screenings), Hospital Appointment Booking (at 7 hub hospitals), Cataract Surgery (with Monofocal and Multifocal lens options), and Eyeglasses/Spectacles (Reading, Computer, Kids categories). Supporting services include Tele-Ophthalmology & Digital Care, Mobile Eye Units, and Eye Health & Vision Screening. Payment features include ERC Flexi Pay (installment payments) and No Cost EMI (6-month and 12-month options). Insurance is accepted for surgeries. The portfolio integrates in-person hospital care with digital/remote consultation capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cataract Surgery Advanced cataract surgery using phacoemulsification and multiple IOL (intraocular lens) options (including monofocal, multifocal, and zero-aberration/trifocal lenses) performed at ERC's hub hospitals in Assam, with EMI financing available for patients.
• Home Eye Test Free at-home comprehensive eye examination conducted at the patient's doorstep by ERC technicians using portable equipment, intended for individual consumers in Assam who cannot easily reach a hospital and as the entry point to ERC's prescription and surgical services.
• Eye Examination (In-Hospital) Comprehensive in-clinic eye examination (refraction, slit-lamp, retinal and diagnostic work-up) performed by ophthalmologists and optometrists at ERC's hub hospitals in Assam, available to walk-in and online-booked patients.
• Teleconsultation Remote ophthalmology consultations delivered via ERC's digital platform for patients across Northeast India, allowing specialist access for those unable to visit a hub hospital in person.
• Eyeglasses (Spectacles, Frames and Lenses) Prescription and fashion eyeglasses, frames, and lenses sold at approximately 40% discount across ERC's hub hospitals, mobile eye units, and 100+ partner optical stores throughout Assam and Northeast India, targeted at individual consumers needing corrective eyewear.
• Outreach Eye Camp Community-level eye screening camps conducted by ERC using mobile eye clinic units across rural and semi-urban Northeast India, providing free basic eye checks, referrals to hub hospitals for treatment, and free spectacles in select programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 Lakh+ patients served
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NGOs & Community OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERC partners with NGOs and community organizations for eye camp booking and community health programs. NGOs and community programs can book eye camps through the ERC platform.
• Insurance CompaniescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerERC is empanelled with major insurance providers. Patients can use insurance coverage for cataract surgery and other procedures. All major insurance plans accepted.
• Store PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorERC has partnerships with 100+ store partners across Northeast India for optical products distribution.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Centre for Sight: One of India's largest eye care chains with 80+ centers offering cataract, refractive, and optical services. Directly comparable to ERC's service portfolio and tier-2/3 city expansion approach.
• Eye-Q Vision: Indian eye care chain operating super-specialty eye hospitals with a focus on Tier-2/3 cities, offering cataract surgery, optical retail, and outreach programs—closely mirroring ERC's regional hub model.
• ASG Eye Hospitals: Pan-India eye hospital chain providing cataract surgery, vision correction, and optical services with both hospital and outreach models. Directly comparable to ERC's hospital-plus-outreach proposition, with significantly broader geographic reach.
• Vasan Eye Care: National eye care hospital chain in India with comparable cataract, optical, and consultation services. Similar mass-market positioning targeting affordability-driven patients.
• Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital: Large multi-specialty eye hospital chain in India offering cataract surgery, optical retail, and outreach programs across 100+ locations. Comparable to ERC in offering mix and customer-base (mass-market Indian patients), though at much larger scale.
• Maxivision Eye Hospitals: South India-headquartered eye hospital chain with similar outpatient ophthalmology, cataract surgery, and optical dispensing services. Closely comparable to ERC's hub-and-spoke model in Tier-2/3 markets.

Emerging players

• Titan Eye+: National eyewear retail chain by Titan Company offering frames, lenses, and eye check-ups across 700+ stores. Overlaps with ERC's optical retail and primary eye exam services, though ERC's surgical offering differentiates it.

Broad incumbents

• Sankara Nethralaya: Premier non-profit eye care institution headquartered in Chennai with comprehensive ophthalmology services including surgery, research, and outreach. Similar mission orientation and service portfolio but operates at much larger institutional scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@erclens742
• Facebookfacebook.com/ERClens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/erclens
• Instagraminstagram.com/erc.lens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ERC Lens