India, Sept. 24 -- Childhood is meant to be a time of discovery, but impaired vision can close doors to books, classrooms and play. According to global studies, every minute a child somewhere in the world loses sight. In India alone, nearly 270,000 children under the age of 15 live with blindness, costing the nation an estimated $118 billion in Gross National Income annually (Orbis International). With nearly one in four Indians below the age of 18 (UNFPA 2025), this challenge represents not only an individual setback but also a profound loss to the nation's collective potential and future.

The digital era has added another layer to this crisis. Children today are exposed to screens from a very early age, with digital classrooms, smartph...