KeraLink International partner Dr. Umang Mathur is an accomplished ophthalmologist who has played an important role in reviving the century-old charitable eye hospital, the Dr. Shroff Charity Eye Hospital (SCEH), in the heart of Delhi. The hospital, established in 1922, had been languishing in a state of neglect for several decades. Dr Mathur joined SCEH in 1998, and with his team systematically worked on all aspects of the hospital to make it one of the best in northern India. Under his leadership, SCEH has established 8 secondary level and 100 plus primary level vision center facilities in the unserved hinterland of North India, arguably the world’s densest hotspot for blindness. Today, Dr. Mathur is recognized for converting the SCEH into an institution that effectively combines patient care, academics, and public health sustainably.
He is an accomplished surgeon and performed cataract surgery on the former President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. He founded the Eye Bank at Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital, which is today among the leading eye banks in north India. He founded the Bodhya Eye Consortium (BEC), a research consortium linking six community-based eye care institutions in India to create a large knowledge base of ophthalmology in India. Dr. Mathur has trained over 250 long- and short-term fellows in cornea, anterior segment pathology, and cataract surgery.
Corneal blindness, the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, presents a significant challenge in India. With only 500-700 trained corneal surgeons serving a population of 1.4 billion, the need far outweighs the available expertise. Recognizing this critical gap, Dr. Umang Mathur is pioneering an innovative approach—training cataract surgeons through specialized short-term surgical programs to expand corneal care access.
Beyond surgical interventions, technology is playing a transformative role. At Dr. Shroff’s Charity Eye Hospital (SCEH), digital imaging is enabling the early detection of corneal infections, while telemedicine is connecting patients in remote areas with expert care at their doorstep. Additionally, young women in rural India are being empowered as allied eye care professionals, receiving advanced training to operate state-of-the-art microbiology labs—enhancing diagnostics and treatment in underserved communities. Innovations abound at SCEH, ensuring that quality eye care reaches the most marginalized populations.
Dr. Mathur’s contributions to eye health extend beyond his work at Dr. Shroff Charity Eye Hospital, and his commitment to expanding access to quality care aligns closely with the mission of KeraLink International. Through his leadership in developing eye care services in underserved areas, particularly in the rural regions of North India, Dr. Mathur has contributed to the same global effort to eliminate preventable blindness that KeraLink champions. For this reason, KeraLink International awarded him the Visionary Leadership in Eye Health Award in 2024.
Under exemplary leaders like Dr. Umang Mathur, we will achieve a future where no one is left behind in the fight against blindness.
