NNJS

What NNJS does

NNJS (Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh) is Nepal's largest nonprofit eye care provider, founded in 1978 and operating a national network of more than 20 dedicated eye hospitals and 148 eye care centers (ECCs) that collectively reach an estimated 90% of Nepal's population. The organization delivers comprehensive ophthalmology services spanning cataract surgery, vitreoretinal care, glaucoma management, pediatric ophthalmology, oculoplastics, and refractive services, alongside community outreach through eye camps, school screening programs, and a Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) program launched in 2013. Capacity is supported by approximately 1,400 ophthalmologists and 2,400 support staff, exceeding WHO workforce benchmarks for Nepal.

The network is anchored by high-volume tertiary hubs such as Biratnagar Eye Hospital, which recorded ~700,000 OPD visits and ~70,000 surgeries in 2025, and is augmented by a tele-ophthalmology program built around partnerships with Peek Vision and smartphone-based screening for remote districts. Beyond direct clinical delivery, NNJS operates the Tilganga intraocular lens (IOL) manufacturing line, exporting lenses to more than 40 countries, and an International Research Centre (IRC) established in 2018 that conducts clinical and epidemiological research in collaboration with LSHTM, NIHR, and Mahidol University. The organization has also expanded laterally into ear care services since 2013.

The business model is nonprofit, with approximately 80% of operating inflows sourced from community contributions, international NGO support, and government subsidies, and the balance from patient fees and exports. Domestic pricing is heavily subsidized (surgery at NPR 5,000–15,000; bed charges at NPR 200/day), enabling population-scale access, while a growing cross-border medical tourism stream — primarily from India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan — generated an estimated ~1.5 billion NPR of international patient revenue and accounts for roughly 46% of patient mix at Biratnagar. Donor and grant dependencies (Seva Foundation, LSHTM, CBM, Orbis, SEE International, SightLife, EyeCare Foundation, NIHR, NABP, Noor Dubai) are a defining structural feature of the revenue model.

Name

NNJS

Legal name

Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh

Website

https://nnjs.org.np

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Nepal's largest nonprofit eye care network, founded in 1978, operating more than 20 eye hospitals and 148 eye care centers that serve approximately 90% of Nepal's population through subsidized ophthalmology, community outreach, and cross-border medical tourism.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmology Services

NAICS

General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (6221), Offices of Optometrists (62132), Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Ambulatory Health Care Services (621)

SIC

Services-Hospitals (8060), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Ophthalmic Specialty Hospitals (HLAFAHAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ophthalmology Clinics (Medical & Surgical Eye Care) (HLAKAKAC), Ophthalmology Surgery Centers (HLAFAIAF), Vision & Ophthalmic Diagnostic Centers (Optometry/OCT/Retinal Imaging) (HLAFAKAI), Ophthalmology & Vision Telemedicine Platforms (HLALAGAL)

Keywords

• Eye care services
• Ophthalmology services
• Cataract surgery
• Community eye health
• Vision rehabilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Kathmandu

HQ country

Nepal

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Eye Care Service Fees: Revenue generated from patient service fees including consultation, surgery, and hospital admission charges. Surgery fees range from 5,000 to 15,000 Nepalese Rupees with bed fees averaging 200 Rupees.
2. International Patient Revenue: Revenue from international patients (primarily from India, Bangladesh, and Bhutan) seeking affordable eye treatment in Nepal. The organization earned approximately 1.5 billion Nepalese Rupees from foreign patients in one year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NNJS operates Nepal's largest nonprofit eye care network, delivering comprehensive ophthalmology services including cataract surgery, retina treatment, cornea transplantation, glaucoma management, pediatric ophthalmology, and ear care through 20+ eye hospitals and 148 eye care centers. The organization supplements facility-based care with mobile outreach eye camps, tele-ophthalmology for remote consultation, school screening programs, and Community Based Rehabilitation for the incurably blind. It also produces and exports intraocular lenses from its affiliated Tilganga Eye Centre to over 40 countries.

Product overview

NNJS operates a network of eye hospitals and eye care centers across Nepal, providing comprehensive ophthalmology services. The core offerings include Biratnagar Eye Hospital and Butwal Lions Eye Hospital as flagship facilities, supplemented by satellite Eye Care Centers in rural areas. Services span general examinations, refraction, surgical procedures (cataract, cornea transplantation), subspecialty clinics (retina, glaucoma, cornea, pediatrics), and community outreach programs including tele-ophthalmology and mobile eye camps. The organization also provides online patient registration and internal management systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biratnagar Eye Hospital Comprehensive eye hospital serving eastern Nepal (Koshi Zone) with general examinations, refraction, laboratory facilities, subspecialty clinics (retina, cornea, glaucoma, pediatrics), surgical services, ear care, and Community Based Rehabilitation for the incurably blind.
• Butwal Lions Eye Hospital Eye hospital operated under NNJS in the Butwal region of western Nepal, providing ophthalmology services to local and regional populations.
• Eye Care Centers (ECCs) Network of 148 satellite eye care centers in districts across Nepal (including Bhojpur, Terhathum, Rangeli, Inaruwa, and Ilam) providing accessible outpatient eye care and referrals to flagship hospitals.
• Outreach Eye Camps Mobile eye camps delivering diagnostic, screening, and surgical services in remote and underserved areas of Nepal, including diabetic retinopathy camps, pediatric camps, workplace camps, school screening camps, and surgical eye camps.
• Community Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Programme Rehabilitation programme for incurably blind persons providing survey, orientation and mobility training, vocational training, and inter-organizational networking.
• Online Patient Registration Online portal enabling patients to register for eye care services at NNJS facilities, with photo upload and digital signature capture.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 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

14 partnerships are on record, tiered major, supporting and past supporter.

• London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research and training in eye health. LSHTM is a renowned global health institution.
• Seva FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-development partner supporting sustainable eye care services and elimination of avoidable blindness
• EyeCare FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting eye care service delivery and awareness programs
• Peek VisionsupportingTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing smartphone-based eye screening solutions
• CBM (Christian Blind Mission)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational disability organization supporting inclusive eye care programs
• SEE InternationalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSurgical Eye Expeditions - providing volunteer surgical services and training
• Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted (NABP)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for rehabilitation services and support for visually impaired
• National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK-based research partnership for eye health research
• SightLifesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for cornea and eye tissue services
• Noor DubaisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAE-based initiative supporting eye care programs
• Dhulikhel HospitalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal healthcare partnership for service delivery
• Mahidol UniversitysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThai university partnership for training and research
• OrbismajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational eye care organization providing training, equipment, and programmatic support
• Trachoma.orgpast supporterStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for trachoma elimination programs

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sankara Nethralaya: Major nonprofit eye hospital in Chennai focused on affordable, high-volume ophthalmology. Comparable to NNJS in nonprofit mission, surgical throughput, and training focus.
• Aravind Eye Care System: Largest eye-care hospital network in India operating a hub-and-spoke model with high surgical volume and subsidized care for the poor. Directly comparable to NNJS in mission, scale, and cross-subsidy economics.
• Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology: Nepal-based ophthalmology hospital and IOL manufacturing center; closely aligned with NNJS's operational geography and is referenced in NNJS's value proposition as part of its manufacturing capability.
• Himalayan Cataract Project: International nonprofit focused on eradicating avoidable blindness through high-volume cataract surgery in Himalayan and low-income regions. Directly comparable in mission and cross-border surgical delivery model.
• Fred Hollows Foundation: Australia-based nonprofit operating eye hospitals and training programs across Asia and Africa. Comparable in mission, geographic focus, and workforce-development model.
• Seva Foundation: US-based nonprofit supporting eye-care programs globally, including in Nepal. Comparable in mission and partner orientation, and a documented strategic partner of NNJS.
• L V Prasad Eye Institute: Multi-tier ophthalmology network across India offering comprehensive subspecialty care, training, and rehabilitation. Comparable to NNJS in clinical depth, academic orientation, and rural reach.

Regional players

• Dr. Agarwal's Eye Hospital: Largest private eye-hospital chain in India, expanding internationally. Comparable in clinical breadth and subspecialty offering, but operates on a paid-care model rather than the subsidized model NNJS uses for the poor.

Broad incumbents

• CBM International: Disability-focused international NGO supporting inclusive eye care across developing countries. Comparable in mission and disability-inclusive health delivery, and a strategic partner of NNJS.
• Orbis International: Global eye-care nonprofit operating the Flying Eye Hospital and country programs. Both a strategic partner to NNJS and a broader incumbent in the international blindness-prevention space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4850z46i9u0mvs8SnWIEqQ/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/100064789866065
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nnjs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 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 NNJS