What Sankara Eye Hospital does

Sankara Eye Hospital is a non-profit charitable eye care institution founded in 1997 in Pammal, Chennai, with operations blessed by the Sankaracharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam. It operates three tertiary care hospitals (Pammal since 1997, Nanganallur since 2014, and Samarjhola, Odisha since 2016), with a fourth 100-bed facility under development in Saharsa, Bihar. The hospital provides comprehensive ophthalmic services spanning walk-in services (refraction, contact lens, low vision, investigations, optical dispensing), in-patient specialty clinics (cataract, cornea, glaucoma, vitreoretina, paediatric ophthalmology, orbit and oculoplasty, uvea, refractive surgeries), and outreach programmes (Project Kannoli Vision Saver for rural cataract screening, Vanavil school screening, truck driver screening, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma camps). It also runs an eye bank, an academic arm (Sankara Academy of Ophthalmology with DNB and fellowship programmes, plus Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Institute of Optometry).

The technology stack is conventional ophthalmic rather than technology-disruptive: standard diagnostic imaging (OCT, OCTA, FFA, Biometry, Corneal Topography, Visual Fields, specular microscopy, pachymetry) and established surgical modalities (Phacoemulsification, SICS, LASIK, ICL, vitrectomy, laser photocoagulation, corneal crosslinking and transplants). No proprietary software, AI/ML systems, or APIs are documented. Vision Centres are equipped with tele-ophthalmic connectivity for remote consultation.

The business model is a hybrid charity-and-fee model: over 80% of services are provided free or heavily subsidized (up to 70% subsidy for non-paying segments) to economically disadvantaged rural populations, while the Nanganallur branch operates as a fully paying facility. Revenue is sustained through a diversified mix of paying patient services, government scheme reimbursements (empanelled with PM-JAY, TN-CMCHIS, BSKY, NPCB), insurance/TPA cashless billing (Star Health, Medi Assist, and others), CSR grants (notably REC Foundation's Rs. 17.56 crore committed over 14 months), corporate matching donations via Benevity (Google, Oracle, Microsoft), individual donations through GiveIndia and Razorpay, and diaspora 501(c)(3) conduits (Sankara Healthcare Foundation USA, KKSF USA). To date, the organization has served over 2.5 million patients and performed 385,000 surgeries at its Pammal base hospital.

Name

Sankara Eye Hospital

Legal name

Sankara Eye Hospital

Website

https://kannoli.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Sankara Eye Hospital is a non-profit charitable ophthalmic institution operating three tertiary eye hospitals in Tamil Nadu and Odisha, serving rural poor through subsidized care and paying walk-in patients, with a fourth hospital under development in Bihar.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Eye Care Services

NAICS

Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals (622310), Outpatient Care Centers (6214)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Ophthalmic Specialty Hospitals (HLAFAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ophthalmology Surgery Centers (HLAFAIAF), Ophthalmology & Vision Telemedicine Platforms (HLALAGAL), Ophthalmic/Optometric Assisting (EDAOAJAK)

Keywords

• Ophthalmic hospital services
• Cataract surgical services
• Community eye care outreach
• Vision screening programs
• Charitable eye care

Headquarters

HQ city

Chennai (Pammal)

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable Eye Care Services: Over 85% of services provided either completely free or heavily subsidized to needy poor patients. Revenue sustained through corporate donations, government CSR funding, and insurance reimbursements.
2. Paying Patient Services: Secondary revenue from walk-in paying patients and those who can partially afford treatment (up to 70% subsidy offered). Nanganallur facility operates as fully paying hospital.
3. Government Scheme Reimbursements: Empanelled with PM-JAY, TN-CMCHIS, BSKY, and NPCB for cataract surgeries and other eye procedures. Also accepts insurance through multiple TPAs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sankara Eye Hospital is a non-profit charitable eye-care institution operating tertiary care ophthalmic hospitals across Tamil Nadu and Odisha (with a new facility coming up in Bihar). It delivers the full spectrum of ophthalmic services — outpatient consultations, diagnostic investigations, cataract and other eye surgeries, specialty clinics, optical dispensing and eye bank services — to walk-in paying patients, while funding and providing the majority of its services (over 80%) either free or heavily subsidised to economically disadvantaged patients through an extensive rural outreach and screening network.

Product overview

Sankara Eye Hospital operates a network of eye care facilities across India, with three established tertiary care hospitals in Pammal (1997), Nanganallur (2014), and Samarjhola Odisha (2016), plus an upcoming Bihar facility. The hospital offers comprehensive ophthalmic services through a multi-tiered model comprising Walk-in Services (refraction, contact lens, low vision, investigations, optical shop), In-Patient Services (cataract, cornea, glaucoma, vitreoretina, paediatric, orbit/oculoplasty, uvea, refractive surgeries), and Outreach Services (Kannoli Vision Saver for rural screening, Vanavil school screening, truck driver screening, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma screening). Additional offerings include an Eye Bank, Vision Centres (Project Orange), Sankara Academy of Ophthalmology with DNB/fellowship programmes, and Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Institute of Optometry. The hospital leverages government schemes (PM-JAY, TN-CMCHIS, BSKY, NPCB) and corporate partnerships for funding, with the Eye Care for All-REC initiative providing 8000 subsidized surgeries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Project Kannoli – Vision Saver: Rural Outreach Programme focused on eradicating avoidable blindness through screening, transportation, accommodation, surgeries, and post-operative care provided completely free of cost.
• Vanavil – School Children Screening
• Sankara Academy of Ophthalmology
• Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Institute of Optometry (SJSIO)

Products and services

• Pammal Eye Hospital (Base Hospital) Tertiary care eye hospital established in 1997 in Pammal, Chennai, providing comprehensive ophthalmic services; this is the flagship campus where 385,000+ surgeries have been performed to date.
• Nanganallur Eye Hospital (Branch) Fully paying branch hospital established in 2014 in Nanganallur, Chennai, offering day-care interventions for walk-in patients who can pay out of pocket.
• Samarjhola Eye Hospital (Branch) Tertiary care branch hospital established in 2016 in Samarjhola, Odisha, fully equipped with in-patient facilities and serving patients from Ganjam, Gajapati and Kandhamal districts under NPCB MoUs.
• In-Patient Surgical Services Surgical procedures including cataract (SICS, Phacoemulsification, micro-incision with PMMA and hydrophobic foldable IOLs), glaucoma surgery, retina surgery (vitrectomy, laser photocoagulation, cryopexy, scleral buckle), cornea including lamellar sutureless keratoplasties and DSEK/DMEK, orbit and oculoplasty, paediatric, and refractive procedures (LASIK, ICL, RLE).
• Walk-in Outpatient Services Comprehensive outpatient ophthalmic consultations, refraction, contact lens fitting, low vision assessment, specialty clinics, diagnostic investigations (OCT, OCT-A, FFA, pachymetry, corneal topography, specular microscopy, visual fields, biometry) and treatment (Yag Laser, Green Laser, intravitreal injections, foreign body removal, minor procedures).
• Cataract Clinic Diagnosis and surgical treatment of cataract including phacoemulsification and Manual Small Incision Cataract Surgery (SICS) with PMMA and foldable hydrophobic intraocular lens options, for both walk-in and outreach patients.
• Cornea Clinic Treatment of corneal diseases including keratitis, keratoconus, Fuchs' dystrophy, and lattice dystrophy, via corneal crosslinking, corneal transplantation (including DSEK/DMEK), and specialised contact lens fitting.
• Glaucoma Clinic Diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma, including medication, laser procedures and surgery, with quarterly screening camps covered under TNCMCHIS.
• Vitreo-Retina Clinic Treatment of retinal diseases including retinal tears, detachment, diabetic retinopathy, epiretinal membrane, macular hole and macular degeneration via vitrectomy, laser photocoagulation, cryopexy, scleral buckle and intravitreal injections.
• Paediatric Ophthalmology Clinic Specialised eye care for children covering refractive errors, amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus, congenital cataracts, childhood glaucoma, and eyelid lesions.
• Orbit & Oculoplasty Clinic Surgical treatment of eyelid, lacrimal, and orbital anomalies including ptosis, entropion, ectropion, thyroid eye disease, orbital fractures, and tumour excision.
• Uvea Clinic Treatment of uveitis (anterior, intermediate, posterior) coordinated with rheumatologists, chest physicians and infectious disease specialists, using steroid eye drops, injections, and oral medications.
• Refractive Surgery Services Refractive error correction through LASIK (laser-assisted keratomileusis), Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL), and Refractive Lens Exchange (RLE) for myopia, hypermetropia, astigmatism, and presbyopia.
• Refraction Clinic Eye-testing service that determines the patient's prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses using Autorefractor, Non-contact Tonometer, Retinoscopy, Trial frames, and Slit-lamp examination.
• Contact Lens Clinic Expert fitting and dispensing of contact lenses including soft, rigid gas-permeable, hybrid, keratoconus, semi-scleral, scleral, prosthetic, bandage, and implantable lenses.
• Low Vision Clinic Management of low-vision patients through evaluation, prescription of optical and non-optical low-vision devices (telescopes, magnifiers, tinted lenses), and training in their use.
• Diagnostic Investigations Ophthalmic diagnostic facilities including OCT and OCT-A, FFA, Pachymetry, Corneal Topographer, Visual Fields, Biometry (A-Scan, B-Scan), Laser Interferometric Biometry, and Specular Microscopy.
• Sankara Opticals (Optical Shop) Spectacle dispensing outlet offering a wide range of frames (titanium, stainless steel, rimless, flexible) and lenses including progressive, plastic, scratch-resistant, anti-glare, photochromatic, bifocal, polycarbonate, and tint-able options.
• Eye Bank and Cornea Transplantation Round-the-clock cornea harvesting, eye donation awareness and pledge registration (including National Eye Donation Fortnight campaigns), donor card issuance, and cornea transplantation for corneal blindness.
• Project Kannoli (Vision Saver) Rural Outreach Rural screening, transportation, in-hospital surgery, post-operative reviews and drop-back service for cataract and other conditions in rural Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Bihar, addressing awareness, access and affordability.
• Vanavil School Children Eye Screening (RAINBOW) Vision screening by trained teachers, optometrist examination, free spectacle distribution, and surgical referral for identified eye conditions in school children.
• Truck Drivers Eye Screening Eye screening camps for truck, bus and lorry drivers covering refractive errors and secondary eye conditions, with spectacle provision and referral for further treatment.
• Diabetic Retinopathy Screening Camps Quarterly screening camps for diabetic retinopathy identification with free treatment under TNCMCHIS, supporting early detection among diabetic populations.
• Hybrid Vision Centres 40 hybrid Vision Centres in Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur, Chengalpattu and neighbouring districts, equipped with anterior/posterior-segment screening equipment and tele-ophthalmic connectivity to hospital campuses.
• Sankara Academy of Ophthalmology (DNB and Fellowship Programmes) DNB in Ophthalmology, long-term fellowship programmes (Comprehensive Ophthalmology 18 months; Medical & Surgical Retina 24 months), and optometry courses; over 150 trainees as of December 2021.
• Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Institute of Optometry (SJSIO) Undergraduate and postgraduate optometry courses affiliated with Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University, Chennai.
• Cataract Screening Camps Rural outreach screening camps that identify cataract patients for free surgery through the Project Kannoli - Vision Saver pathway.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.5 million+ patients benefited over the years
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Seva FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSeva Foundation partnered with Sankara in Odisha, supporting setting up of one Vision Centre, funding for training of Doctors and staff, and providing guidance on scaling eye care operations. Since 1978, Seva has provided eye care services to more than 46 million people worldwide.
• SightsaverscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational charity working to eliminate avoidable blindness. Partnership started April 1999. Set up two Vision Centres in Chennai (one exclusively for truck drivers) and two Vision Centres in Odisha. Conducts screening camps for slum dwellers and truck drivers.
• Rotary International (District 3232)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject Kannoli - Vision Saver launched in 1994 by Rotary Club of Madras Fort. Supporting setup of 40 Hybrid Vision Centres in Kanchipuram, Thiruvallur, Chengalpattu and neighboring districts. Provides Global Grants for ophthalmic equipment and cataract surgeries.
• Insurance Companies and TPAscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple insurance companies and Third Party Administrators including Star Health, Medi Assist, Vidal Healthcare, Heritage Health, Paramount Health Services, and others for cashless treatment.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• L V Prasad Eye Institute: Hyderabad-based non-profit tertiary eye care institute with a hub-and-spoke model across multiple Indian states, providing comprehensive ophthalmology with significant research and training components. Comparable given the non-profit structure, multi-state presence, and academic mission.
• Narayana Nethralaya: Bangalore-based superspecialty eye hospital affiliated with Narayana Health, offering comprehensive ophthalmic care including complex retinal and corneal surgery. Comparable as a tertiary eye care provider with similar subspecialty coverage in South India.
• Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital: Multi-state chain of eye hospitals headquartered in Chennai, providing comprehensive ophthalmology including cataract, retina, glaucoma, and refractive surgery. Comparable as a directly competing chain in the same geography and specialty; notably, Sankara Eye Hospital has recruited doctors from Dr. Agarwal's.
• Centre for Sight: Multi-city chain of eye hospitals in India offering comprehensive ophthalmology including cataract, refractive, and retinal services. Comparable as a pan-India specialty chain with a paid-services model that competes for the paying patient segment.
• Aravind Eye Hospital: Tertiary eye care network headquartered in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, operating a hub-and-spoke model with free/subsidized care for the rural poor. Closest direct peer given the shared charitable mission, Tamil Nadu base, and comparable high-volume cataract surgery model.
• Shroff Eye Centre: Delhi-based multi-branch eye hospital providing comprehensive ophthalmic services including cataract, refractive, and pediatric ophthalmology. Comparable as a specialty chain delivering the same full-spectrum eye care services.
• Sankara Nethralaya: Chennai-based non-profit ophthalmic hospital and research institute offering comprehensive subspecialty eye care with a strong academic and training focus. Comparable as a Chennai-headquartered charitable eye hospital with similar subspecialty coverage and academic programs.
• Vasan Eye Care: Large pan-India chain of eye hospitals headquartered in Tamil Nadu, providing comprehensive eye care including cataract, LASIK, and specialty services. Comparable as a high-volume, multi-state specialty chain competing for similar patient segments.
• Maxivision Eye Hospital: South India-focused chain of eye hospitals offering comprehensive ophthalmology including cataract, refractive, and specialty services. Comparable as a regional specialty chain with similar service mix and South Indian geographic focus.
• Lotus Eye Hospital and Institute: Coimbatore-based superspecialty eye hospital offering comprehensive ophthalmology with a focus on advanced surgical procedures. Comparable as a Tamil Nadu-based specialty eye care provider with similar service offerings and patient demographics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sankara-eye-hospital-pammal

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

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 Sankara Eye Hospital