Over 17,000 corneal transplants done at AIIMS till date: Titiyal

The press conference was also addressed by the centres Chief and Professor of Ophthalmology Atul Kumar, and various other senior doctors of the centre.

"We first train our young doctors on goats eyes and then they perform simple surgeries in the presence of senior doctors before they graduate to a level of expertise," Kumar said.

A senior doctor spoke about the vision centres set up in Delhi and neighbouring cities, where doctors from AIIMS go and conduct examinations of eye patients.

"There were 15 such centres two years ago, and now we have about 25 of them. We tie up with local dispensaries and keep our set up there, and doctors from AIIMS pay regular visit, so patients need not come to the AIIMS," he said.

Kumar said, only those patients who need surgery are sent to the Dr Rajendra Prasad Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, and "we conduct all eye-related surgeries free of cost... It is to help poor and needy people."

On the National Blindness Survey (2015-2018), the senior doctor said, "27 of the 30 districts have been covered. 3,000 people are being sampled per district. It is expected to be completed by June. By the end of which, we will get to know the level of partial blindness and blindness in the country.