In Assam, eye testing at post offices is helping many see clearly again

At a post office in Assam, Bandana Devi, has found herself doing a job that has little to do with letters, parcels or money.

Since December 2025, Devi has been working as an accredited social eye care worker, testing the eyesight of people who come into the post office. She is part of a pilot project by the nonprofit VisionSpring India, in partnership with India Post, to bring basic vision care closer to people who may have limited access to eye clinics.

“There have been a lot of footfalls since I began working on the programme,” said Devi. “People here suffer from short-sightedness and vision problems. I have seen over 3,000 people, and many are happy after coming here.”

Easier to reach a post office

The post office seems like an unlikely place to get an eye test. But for people in parts of Assam, the post office can be considerably easier to reach than a hospital or an eye clinic.

The early results of the pilot project indicate that basic eye care is a significantly unmet need. Five post offices are being used to screen eyesight and provide reading glasses to those who need them.

As of July, nearly 9,000 people had been screened. Around 72% – 6,421 people –...

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