The United States National Institute of Health and India's Department of Biotechnology have signed a Statement of Intent for collaboration on expansion of vision research. The agreement emphasises on increasing commitment to joint collaborations on eye disorders. With the rising global burden of disability and suffering posed by eye disorders, such partnerships gain greater significance.

The agreement, jointly developed by the two countries with the support of the Fogarty International Centre, aims at prevention of visual disability and blindness in India, the United States and around the world.

The Statement of Intent recognises the strong commitment by the two countries to reduce the burden of vision disability and blindness and points to successful research collaboration between Indian and American scientists and institutions in the prevention of blindness.

On the Indian side, the Department of Biotechnology would serve as the nodal agency, with the expectation of the involvement of other interested governmental and non-governmental organisations. On the US side, the Health and Human Services/NIH National Eye Institute will serve as the nodal agency.

With this agreement, India will gain more knowledge about protection of sight and prevention of vision loss.

According to the World Health Organisation, eye disorders are responsible for 3.1 per cent of the global burden of diseases. Worldwide more than 37 million people are blind. In India, the number is more than 12 million and in the US, there are more than one million blind people.