For setting up affordable eyecare centers inside other general hospitals, diabetes centers and pediatric centers

S. MEERA

Welcare sets up an affordable eye screening centers inside existing diabetes centers, general hospitals, pediatric clinics and other health centers. Welcare installs an innovative Internet-connected retinal/pediatric screening device and trains a technician to operate the device. Patient information including retinal images are securely transferred online to Welcare’s certified ophthalmologists for review and diagnostics. The results and recommendations for follow-up are then shared with the patient through the staff at the facility they visited.

Unitus Seed Fund has invested in this venture which is the first company to innovate and screen for diabetic patients through telemedicine, connecting the patient in the diabetes center to a remote ophthalmologist; screen children for visual defects through telemedicine; The company has also launched Teleopia, a customized software programme for tele-ophthalmology.

From two centres in 2013, it currently operates multiple centers in 11 cities across India. The venture aims to be a large Tele-Ophthalmology company with 800-1000 centers all over India and international markets and reach out to 10 lakh diabetic patients, two lakh pediatric patients and prevent at least 2.5 lakh patients from blindness. It primarily works in Tier 2, Tier 3 towns and provides these services to BOP patients at very low costs.

Welcare has so far reached out to 30,000 BOP customers and prevented blindness in 6000. 

First to screen children for visual defects through telemedicine. 

First company to innovate and screen for diabetic patients through telemedicine, connecting the patient in the diabetes center to a remote ophthalmologist 

Create Teleopia, a customized software programme for teleophthalmology