Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram

The Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Thiruvananthapuram is the highest government level referral hospital in the field of ophthalmology in Kerala state. The hospital was established as Government Eye Hospital in 1905, during the reign of King Sree Moolam Thirunal of Travancore. With the establishment of the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College in 1951, it became the Ophthalmology department of the Medical College. In 1995, the hospital was separated from Medical College and upgraded to the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, an autonomous institution. The institute has grown to its present form with an impressive group of excellent doctors offering a wide range of super specialty ophthalmic care with the most modern equipment and supported by experienced and qualified technical staff. Daily about 600 people are consulted as referrals, and about 200 people come in directly for treatment without a referral. For lending a helping hand to the blind and partially sighted persons, the state government and the Alumni associations of the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology (RIO) have initiated a rehabilitation centre for them under the ‘Punarjyothi’ project on February 13, 2019. RIO is India’s second government institute offering a bachelor’s degree in optometry.