Worldline 'India Digital Payments Report’ Q1 Frorm Jan–Mar 2022

Worldline has released the ‘India Digital Payments Report’ Q1 2022 wherein they have analyzed the transactions available in public databases as well as transactions processed by them in the first quarter (January – March 2022) and derived some unique insights.

How India Pays?

In Q1 2022, 9.36 billion transactions amounting to INR 10.25 trillion were processed through payment modes like Debit and Credit cards, Prepaid Payment Instruments like mobile wallets and prepaid cards, and UPI P2M (Person to Merchant). UPI P2M transactions emerged as the most preferred payment mode among consumers with a market share of 64% in volume and 50% in terms of value. This is not altogether surprising given the growth of UPI. However, 2 points of note. Credit cards accounted 7% of transactions but 26% of value indicating that customers still prefer to use their credit cards for high value transactions. Debit cards account for 10% of transactions but 18% in value – the volume and volume has shrunk from previous years and is likely because of the rise of UPI.

Unified Payments Interface

In Q1 2022, UPI clocked over 14.55 billion transactions in volume and INR 26.19 trillion in terms of value. Its transactions volume and value has almost doubled since last year recording about 99% increase in volume and over 90% increase in value compared to Q1 2021. In Q1 2022, the top remitter banks were State Bank of India, HDFC Bank, Bank of Baroda, Union Bank and Paytm Payments Bank while the top Beneficiary Banks were Paytm Payments Bank, State Bank of India, YES Bank, Axis Bank and ICICI Bank.

As of Q1 2022, the top UPI Apps in terms of volume were PhonePe, Google Pay, Paytm Payments Bank App, Amazon Pay, Axis banks App while top PSP UPI Players were YES Bank, Axis Bank, State Bank of India, HDFC Bank and Paytm Payments Bank. Among the top UPI Apps, Phone Pe, Google Pay and Paytm accounted for 94.8% of UPI transactions volume and 93% of UPI transactions value as of March 2022.

The Average Ticket Size (ATS) for UPI P2P transactions was INR 2455 and INR 860 for P2M transactions as of March 2022.

With merchant adoption for UPI growing swiftly, the ATS of UPI P2M is witnessing a steady upward growth while ATS for P2P transactions in inching down but that is an effect of the volume of transactions as well as a move to P2M transactions. P2M transactions recorded a 24% increase in Q1 2022 as compared to Q1 2021. In Q1 2022, out of total UPI volumes, 56% transactions were P2P while 44% were P2M; in terms of value, P2M transactions generally contributed to about 19% of UPI transactions.

Merchant Acquiring

As of March 2022, the total number of POS terminal deployed by merchant acquiring banks were 6.07 million with over half a million POS terminals deployed during Q1 2022. POS deployment witnessed over 28% growth in Q1 2022 compared to a year before.

As of March 2022, the total number of Bharat QRs were 4.97 million, a 39% rise as compared to March 2021 while UPI QRs stood at 172.73 million, registering an increase of 87% as compared to March 2021.

Overall, Private sector banks represented about 70% of the POS terminal market while Public sector banks accounted for 22%. Payments banks accounted for 7% market share, and foreign banks continue to represent a 1% share.

Top POS deployers: HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, RBL Bank, Paytm Payments Bank, IndusInd Bank, Union Bank of India are the top acquiring banks with significant market share in terms of POS deployment. In terms of POS market share, Axis Bank and ICICI Bank witnessed a growth of over 68% and 52% respectively in Q1 2022 when compared to Q1 2021. Paytm Payments Bank too registered a growth of 66% to be amongst the top banks deploying POS terminals.

Worldline in India Insights

In Q1 2022, frequently visited physical merchant categories like grocery stores, restaurants, clothing and apparel, pharmacy and medical, hotels, jewellery retail, specialty retail, household appliances and departmental stores together accounted for over 60% in terms of volume and about 58% in terms value. In the online space, e-commerce (shopping for goods and services), gaming, utility & financial services contributed to over 85% transaction in terms of volume and 47% in terms of value.

States and cities with the highest number of transactions at physical touch points in Q1 2022 for Worldline India

Top 10 States: 1. Maharashtra 2. Tamil Nadu 3. Karnataka 4. Andhra Pradesh 5. Kerala 6. Gujarat 7. Delhi 8. Uttar Pradesh 9. Telangana 10. West Bengal

Top 10 Cities: 1. Hyderabad 2. Bengaluru 3. Chennai 4. Mumbai 5. Pune 6. Delhi 7. Kolkata 8. Coimbatore 9. Ahmedabad 10. Vadodara

Card Issuance

The total number of credit and debit cards in circulation by end of Q1 2022 was 991.28 million. While the number of outstanding credit cards increased by 19% from 62.04 million in March 2021 to 73.6 million in March 2022, outstanding debit cards increased by only 2% from 898.20 million to 917.66 million during the same period. In fact, during Q2 2022, about 23 million debit cards were withdrawn from circulation which could possibly be a correction in reported numbers by banks or the closure of inactive accounts.

As of March 2022, the top credit card issuing banks were HDFC Bank, SBI, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and RBL Bank while the top debit card issuing banks were SBI, BOB, Union Bank, Canara Bank and Punjab National Bank. On April 21, 2022, the RBI issued a Master Direction on Credit Card and Debit Card Issuance and Conduct Directions, 2022. Reserve Bank of India - Master Directions (rbi.org.in) On June 16, 2022, the RBI lifted business restrictions imposed on Mastercard Asia / Pacific Pte. Ltd thereby allowing them to on-board new domestic customers. It will be interesting to note how soon this development will impact overall debit and credit card issuance numbers.

Transaction analysis of Credit cards

In Q1 2022, Credit cards volume and value stood at 2.02 billion and INR 8.77 trillion respectively. The number of credit card transactions at POS accounted for 305.83 million while e-commerce was 302.13 million. In terms of value, consumers transacted INR 1040.03 billion at POS and INR 1770 billion at ecommerce via credit cards in Q1 2022. Even though credit cards volume at POS and ecommerce are nearly equal, value of ecommerce transactions is significantly higher as compared with value of transactions at POS. This is in line with the general trend of transactions moving from the physical to the digital space.

Transaction analysis of Debit Cards

In Q1 2022, debit card transactions volume and value stood at 942.7 million and INR 1.81 trillion, respectively. Out of the total debit card volume, transactions at POS were 585.11 million and ecommerce were 357.6 million. In terms of value, INR 1.15 trillion was processed at POS terminals while INR 667.23 billion was through e-commerce transactions.

The inference is that consumers are getting more comfortable to make online purchases via credit cards for big ticket size transactions while debit cards are more frequently used for small ticket size purchases at physical touchpoints. Value added services like EMI, BNPL are enabling customers to opt for high value products and services using their cards. Whitepaper titled ‘India taps into a Contactless future’ published by Visa and Worldline India highlights that during peak COVID-19 times, the number of domestic F2F transactions grew only by 6.25%, but contactless transactions in March 2021 grew by 28.5%, compared to March 2020. According to Worldline data, while 25% of all transactions at supermarkets were contactless in January 2020, these transactions rose to 31% by January 2022

Mobile and Internet Based Payments

As of January 2022, there were about 658 million internet users and about 1.2 billion mobile subscribers in India. In Q1 2022, consumers made 15.6 billion mobile based payments whereas Net Banking / Internet browser-based transactions were over 1 billion. In terms of value, INR 44.68 trillion was transacted through mobile while INR 163.53 trillion was transacted through the internet. It is to be noted that while internet browser-based payments comprised 6% in terms of volume, its share in value terms was 84% while mobile payments accounted for the rest. The takeaways are; mobile payments have become widespread and being used for small ticket transactions while internet browsers are the preferred mode for traditional shopping from e-commerce platforms.

National Electronic Toll Collection

In Q1 2022, NETC processed about 745 million transactions worth INR 113 billion. The transactions volume increased by 49% while value increased by 41% as compared to the Q1 2021. As of March 2022, total number of banks live with NETC FASTag were 36 while about 49.6 million NETC FASTags have been issued since the inception of the NETC program.

NETC FASTag continued to grow and facilitate electronic payments at parking plazas at malls, metro stations, hospitals, airports among others apart from acceptance across national and state highways.

Top issuer banks for FASTAgs as of March 2022 were ICICI Bank, Paytm Payments Bank, IDFC Bank, Airtel Payments Bank and HDFC Bank whereas the top acquirer banks were IDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Paytm Payments Bank, Axis Bank and State Bank of India. Currently, over 40 parking plazas across the country accept FASTags for parking fees in over 20 major cities.

About Worldline

Worldline [Euronext: WLN] is a global leader in the payments industry and the technology partner of choice for merchants, banks and acquirers. Powered by 20,000 employees in more than 50 countries, Worldline provides its clients with sustainable, trusted and innovative solutions fostering their growth. Services offered by Worldline include instore and online commercial acquiring, highly secure payment transaction processing and numerous digital services. In 2021, Worldline generated a proforma revenue close to 4 billion euros.

Worldline India Pvt. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Worldline, is partner to over 40 banks and over 5000 marque clients comprising of ecommerce giants, leading insurance players, D2C players across sectors. In India, Worldline covers the whole payment value chain and end-to-end processes that facilitate services to over 1.5 million merchants across 5000 towns and cities in India, South Asia / Middle East. Services offered by Worldline in India are in the areas of Merchant Acquiring, VAS, Card Issuance, National Electronic Toll Collection, Risk Mitigation, Reconciliation, Loyalty solutions; and online solutions like NextGen Payment Gateway, Subscription Payments, Payment Orchestration Platform, Online Cross Border Solution, Tokenisation among others. Supported by over 2000 members team, Worldline India is constantly investing in its people and in the latest technologies to increase efficiencies, drive innovation and enhance digital payments adoption across the country.

How To Prevent Your Eyes From Infections During This Monsoon

By: Dr. Seshachalam Nitin MBBS, MS Cataract & Lasik Surgeon, MaxiVision Super Specialty Eye Hospital Hyderabad

The onset of the monsoon showers brings a lot of joy and a much-awaited respite from the scorching heat. However, this is also a season for the onset of eye infections commonly called the red eye.

Red eye or conjunctivitis as it is known medically, is a very common infection of the eye mostly caused by viruses and sometimes bacteria. It presents with symptoms of redness, watering and discharge from the eyes. Commonly the eyelids are stuck together upon waking due to the overnight discharge and crusting around the lashes. Occasionally it could be accompanied by symptoms of malaise or fever. This condition, though self-limiting, is highly contagious and spreads quite rapidly.

Following good hygiene practices could help you keep these infections at bay. A few tips that could help with same are listed below

* Avoid touching or rubbing the eye especially after touching probable contaminated surfaces such as door knobs, handles, countertops, faucets etc. Wash your hands or sanitize them before touching your eyes

* Avoid sharing towels, napkins as these may retain the infective organisms and are a major cause for rapid transmission of infections

* Use protective eyewear when going out in the rain. Avoid getting rainwater into your eyes.

* People using contact lenses need to be extra careful with regard to the cleaning and wearing of the same.

* Eat a healthy and balanced diet to keep your immunity strong. Though green leafy vegetables are very healthy, they have traditionally been avoided during the monsoons. These can be replaced with seasonal fruits and vegetables and grains and pulses. Also, avoid street or junk food.

* Self-medication is a strict NO. it is quite common for people to use medications bought over the counter in case of infections. This could cause more harm than good. Meet an experienced eye professional who could prescribe medication only, if necessary, after a proper examination.

So, follow these tips to have a healthy infection free monsoon.

SAP Leverages Metaverse To Accelerate Cloud Adoption In India

* Customers will now be able to experience the full range of SAP’s cloud solutions on a completely immersive Metaverse platform

SAP, the world leader of enterprise application software and cloud solutions, today announced its initiative on Metaverse, aimed at accelerating cloud adoption among Indian enterprises. Designed to engage ‘digital-first audiences,’ the interactive and immersive ‘cloud on wheels’ platform will enable customers across phases of their digital transformation to experience the full range of ‘Rise with SAP’ offerings and enable them to reimagine processes for improved business outcomes.

SAP has been applying digital twin technology — virtual replicas of existing structures, capital goods and industry processes — to help customers gain insight into and predict real scenarios. Now by expanding into Metaverse, SAP aims to introduce measures to support digital B2B services such as the state-of-art technologies like Rise with SAP, SAP’s Digital Core, Procurement, Customer and People Experience solutions.

Commenting on the occasion, Kulmeet Bawa, President & Managing Director, SAP Indian Subcontinent said, “Metaverse is a representation of the current experience economy that provides an experiential platform like never-before. By leveraging it, we hope to revolutionize various elements of our customer experience and build a network of sustainable cloud companies within a truly digital universe. Our ambition is to engage with thousands of organizations through this platform over the course of this year.”

On the Metaverse experience platform, users will be immersed into an outside-in view of SAP solutions based on their business profile, industry, and size. Existing and prospective customers can create their own digital avatars with a front row view of how they can speed-up their cloud migration and digital transformation initiatives. They will get a first-hand experience of relevant SAP cloud offerings to address their business requirements as well as facilitate interactions with other existing users on the platform.

Researcher From MAHE Developed Microfluidic Cancer-On-Chip Technology To Study Drug Response

Manipal Academy of Higher Education added yet another feather to its cap as Assistant Professor Dr. Sanjiban Chakrabarty, a young researcher from Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE)  developed a novel Microfluidic Cancer-on-Chip technology that enables direct assessment of drug response in cancer patient-derived tumour biopsy material. This provides functional readouts to identify drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tumours.

These findings have immense prospects while managing various cancers in personalized cancer treatment. This research was done in collaboration with the lab of Dr. Dik C. van Gent at Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The MAHE-Erasmus MC Centre on Genome Stability at Manipal School of Life Sciences, MAHE, Manipal, India, established collaboration between Dr. Sanjiban and Dr. Dik van Gent.

Speaking about the cancer-on-chip technology Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh, Vice-Chancellor, MAHE Manipal, said, “International collaboration with Erasmus MC will further facilitate the development of a state-of-the-art advanced microfluidic cancer-on-chip technology at MSLS and foster academia-industry collaboration for translational oncology. These findings have immense prospects while managing various cancers in personalized cancer treatment.”

Dr. B S Satish Rao, Director, MSLS, MAHE said, “Novel microfluidic cancer-on-chip technology has immense translational potential for studies predicting drug response, identification of novel drug targets, understanding of tumour evolution, and targeted drug delivery.”

YES Bank Launches Floating Rate Fixed Deposit For Domestic Customers

*          One-of-a-kind floating rate fixed deposit product

*         Rate of interest on FD will be linked to the prevailing Repo rate

YES Bank  announced the launch of Floating Rate Fixed Deposit, a novel product offering for all domestic customers. The rate of interest on this fixed deposit (FD) will be linked to the prevailing Repo rate, allowing the customers of the bank to enjoy dynamic returns on their fixed deposits.

Floating Rate Fixed Deposit is a unique offering designed to benefit customers by enabling them with an asset class that offers the safety of a fixed deposit along with dynamic returns which are linked to the Repo rates published by the central bank. This floating rate FD can be availed for a tenure of 1 year to less than 3 years, as per the customer’s preference.

Commenting on the launch, Mr Prashant Kumar, MD & CEO, YES Bank said, “At YES Bank, we are committed to innovation and customer centricity as the very core of our banking initiatives. We consistently strive to provide the best-in-class benefits and experience to our customers across segments. Floating Rate Fixed Deposit is a one-of-a-kind FD product which is yet another testament to such continuous endeavours. One of the main advantages of this product is that the revision on the interest rate will happen automatically and will not require any manual intervention by the Bank or the customers. There has been careful deliberation and thought behind the launch of this floating rate FD, and it is another step towards further enhancing our retail product offering.”

In order to book this novel floating rate fixed deposit, customers can give a missed call on 07127191191 or visit the nearest branch of YES Bank.

The Bank has also raised its interest rates on standard fixed deposit up to 6.5%* p.a. for regular customers and up to an enhanced rate of 7.25%** p.a. for Senior Citizens.

*for a tenure of 18 months and above

** for a tenure of 3 years and above

Toyota’s Bigger Efforts To Further Strengthen And Contribute To ‘Make In India’ & ‘Skill India’ Mission

 
* Inauguration of E-Drive line at TKAP (Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts) towards promotion of Advanced Automotive Technology (AAT) localization, for supply to both domestic and global markets

* Expansion of phase 2 of TTTI (Toyota Technical Training Institute) that focuses on transforming rural, meritorious, and economically weak youths into world-class employable technicians 

* Themed ‘Skill India. Make in India’, as these initiatives have been the core part of Toyota’s business operations

In its effort to strengthen the contribution to the country’s vision of achieving self-reliance through ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’, Toyota in India, today announced two major milestones. While Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) held the ground-breaking ceremony of Phase II of Toyota Technical Training Institute (TTTI) that involves major enhancement of skilling infrastructure with a view to skill a larger number of people in the advanced automotive space, Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts (TKAP) announced the line-off of its new E-Drive (electrified component) manufacturing line being an integral part of the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Karnataka Government, towards the realization of ‘Net Zero Carbon Society’ in its true sense.

Both these Toyota projects were inaugurated by Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Minister, Ministry of Heavy industries, Government of India; Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education, IT & BT, Science & Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood Government of Karnataka; Mr. A. Manjunath - MLA Magadi Constituency, Government of Karnataka, Senior officials of Government of India and Government of Karnataka, in the presence of Vice Chairman - Mr. Vikram S. Kirloskar & Managing Director - Mr. Masakazu Yoshimura of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, Mr. K N Prasad, Managing Director - Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts and other Toyota executives.

With TTTI, Toyota aims to bridge the skills gap and provide best training in technological advancements to the youth of Karnataka. TTTI is recognized by National Council of Vocational Training (NCVT), Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM), Automotive Skill Development Council (ASDC) and Directorate General of Training (DGT). The three-year residential training program focuses on holistic development by imparting deeper knowledge in automobiles, enriches their skills as craftsmen and body development by engaging in physical fitness activities (for e.g., sports). To develop their mind and attitude, experiential learning is provided through shramdaan, service in orphanages and underprivileged communities.

To create world-class manpower in advanced technologies & manufacturing, TKM has undertaken a major expansion of TTTI with capacity going up from 200 to 1,200 students (academic batch-wise).  This will be a major boost to the existing skill facility in its Bidadi plant with a focus to scale-up students’ skill levels on advanced technology, by Toyota expert trainers (globally certified).

This initiative reflects our strong commitment, with focus on inclusivity and gender diversity, to provide greater opportunity to rural and meritorious youths to become industry-ready technicians with right skill sets of global standards and contribute to our country’s ‘Skill India’ vision.

Over the years, TTTI students have also been participating in world-skill contests held annually, winning many highest accolades & medals by competing with global participants.

TKM has trained more than 77,360 employable youths through various skill development initiatives. TKM has collaborated and is engaged in developing one Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in every district of Karnataka (31 districts). Through Toyota Technical Education Program (TTEP), TKM continues to develop trainees in 49 Institutes, across 17 States in India. Further, TKM has tie-ups with Government of Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Haryana, New Delhi and Telangana, providing skill enhancement to students and faculty members. Over the years, TKM’s skill outreach has expanded on a larger scale, creating world-class skill champions.

On the localization aspect, as a part of the recent MoU of Rs. 4,800 crores signed by Toyota Group Companies (with Rs. 700 crores invested for TIEI) with the Government of Karnataka, the line-off of TKAP’s e-Drive manufacturing facility reflects company’s efforts in setting-up local manufacturing ecosystem towards green mobility targets, aligning with our country’s national objectives. This facility will not only meet the domestic market requirements, but for the very first time the e-Drive will be exported back to Japan and to other countries on global scale. We believe that with the localization of E-Drive, there will be a higher penetration of electrified mobility including strong hybrid electrified vehicles (SHEV) in the country. E-Drive is an Advanced Automotive Technology (AAT) with high-speed motor and is notified under the PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme.

At TKAP, this advanced facility has been setup with high and stringent quality requirements to produce – supply electrified part towards manufacturing of clean cars. The annual production capacity is of 135,000 units at its Bidadi plant, enabling a strong supply chain towards sustainable mobility.

Speaking at these inaugural events, Hon’ble Minister of Heavy Industries - Dr. Mahendra Nath Pandey, Government of India, said, “With an aim to promote local manufacturing of advanced technologies and upskilling, Toyota’s concerted efforts with the production of electrified parts, namely e-Drive and expansion of its training facility is remarkable. And I believe these initiatives will immensely contribute towards creating a global supply chain coupled with great talent pool in India. Needless to mention, such efforts will give an impetus to the vision of ‘Atamnirbhar Bharat’, launched by our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi Ji.

Over the years, Toyota has been actively working in support of our national goals, and therefore I am confident about their continued focus towards country’s larger mission & growth in a sustainable manner”, he added.

Marking the occasions, Hon’ble Minister of Higher Education; IT & BT, Science & Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood - Dr. C. N. Ashwath Narayan, Government of Karnataka, said, “I believe these new initiatives of Toyota will not only enhance the world-class human resources, but also boost larger societal development. As the government of Karnataka is already aiming towards establishing Karnataka as the hub of global supply chain along with sustainable developments, we see Toyota playing a major role in realizing this vision.”

Present at these occasions, Mr. Vikram S. Kirloskar, Vice Chairman, Toyota Kirloskar Motor said, “With the recent MoU signing, our clear objectives are to usher large-scale investment to make deeper cuts in carbon emissions, higher employment generation, creating local manufacturing hub not only for domestic needs but also for global markets, local community development and advancement in innovation. With these initiatives coming into effect, we are happy to be able to uphold our philosophy of “Leave No One Behind”.

On the TTTI expansion, we are looking forward to further strengthen the skill capabilities with a goal to foster an environment where trainees can learn and strengthen their skill sets, and to be able to perform best-in-class operations. With the start of TKAP e-Drive production, our aim is to establish globally competitive parts/components supply base and promote Advanced Automotive Technology (AAT) localization, which will eventually result in manufacturing of clean and sustainable vehicle technologies.

As a holistic approach, our focus is not only to manufacture safe & ecofriendly vehicles, but also to build a skillful workforce and contribute to the betterment of the whole society.”

Toyota being pioneer in electrification, has so far, cumulatively sold over 20 million Electrified Vehicles (xEVs*) globally. In India too, TKM was among the first automakers to introduce SHEVs in the market. SHEVs, which have both a petrol engine and electric powertrain, are extremely environment friendly, while requiring no behavioral changes at the customer’s end. Hybrids can run 40% of the distance and 60% of the time as an electric vehicle with a petrol engine shut off, as proven in a study by iCAT, a Government testing agency. This gives hybrids tremendous fuel efficiency improvements of 35 - 50% and much lower carbon emissions.

TKM remains committed towards ‘Mass Electrification’ with ‘Make in India’ not only for India but also exports. For rapid electrification in India, it is essential to achieve significant reduction in xEV costs for which manufacturing EV parts in India at global scale and quality with advanced skill levels are essential. Needless to mention, all xEV technologies are complementary, sharing common EV parts, thus technology agnostic approach can support towards realization of large-scale economies and investment viability on this front. Toyota will continue to adopt multiple pathways and introduce other electrified & alternative energy vehicles to drive its efforts towards realizing a ‘Carbon Neutral Society’ at the earliest and deliver ‘Mass Happiness to All’.

*xEVs -> BEVs (Battery Electric Vehicle), SHEV (Strong Hybrid Electric Vehicle), PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Vehicle) and FCEV (Fuel-cell Electric Vehicle)

More Than 50% Of Indian Patients Delay Cataract Surgeries: Survey

 
* 73% have cited fears like losing eyesight, painful procedure or long recovery period when it comes to cataract surgeries

Cataract is the leading cause of vision loss in the country; however, it is treatable with a simple procedure with over 98% success rate. According to the research done by the National Eye Institute, it has been found that 9 out of 10 people who undergo cataract surgery get clear vision. Cataract also most commonly affects people in the age group of 40 and above. On the occasion of Cataract Awareness Month, Pristyn Care has launched “The Great Indian Cataract Survey Report” which aims to create awareness and promote holistic eye-care. The survey was conducted with over 1000+ respondents across metros as well as the data analyzed by the Pristyn Care Data Lab on cataract surgeries performed till now.

According to the survey, more than 50% of Indians are delaying cataract surgeries. Most common misconceptions include losing eyesight, painful procedures, or a long recovery period when it comes to cataract surgery. Among the top criteria for undergoing cataract surgery, 52% of Indians choose specialized, highly experienced surgeons, 41% opt for advanced technology, and 26% make the decision based on the location of the surgery, i.e. Eye hospital and clinic. Affordability and cost of the surgery ranks last at 24%. On the survey findings, Dr. Kripa Pulasaria, Ophthalmologist said, “While there can be multiple reasons for cataract delay, we at Pristyn Care believe that it is important to address patient concerns and spend time with them one-on-one. Patients who understand the treatment and benefits of advanced technology are generally not anxious while undergoing the surgery. Fears of pain, surgical complications, or losing eye-sight can be mitigated with appropriate preoperative education.”

According to Pristyn Care’s Data Lab which also studied 1 lakh+ cataract patient queries and 7000+ cataract surgeries done by the company, 59% of cataract surgeries are in the age group of 56 and above. Analysis of data further indicates growing cataract cases in the younger population, a condition widely believed to impact the elderly. The risk factors may be prolonged exposure to UV rays, early onset of diabetes, smoking, alcohol, and environmental factors like food adulteration and pollution. 

Commenting on the findings, Dr Garima Sawhney, co-founder at Pristyn Care, said, “Cataract is the major cause of reversible blindness and visual impairment in the country. According to Pristyn Care’s Cataract survey report, we have observed that lack of access to information, treatment and accessibility are the main reasons for delay among Indians. Cataract surgeries are the most common and frequently performed as compared to other elective procedures. We are committed to introducing advanced treatments for better and quick recovery. We also spoke to the patients who have undergone cataract surgeries and 83% agreed that their pre-surgery inhibitions were unfounded. In fact, 97% of patients would also recommend cataract surgeries to others.”

Pristyn Care is one of the largest cataract surgery providers in the country. It surveyed 7 metros including NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai. The company is also offering free eye check-ups and free consultations in its effort to promote eye care.

Source & details :

* Survey done across 1000+ respondents

* Insights from the Pristyn Care Data Lab which studied 1 lakh+ cataract patient queries and 7000+ cataract surgeries done by the company

* Number of cities - 40+ cities (*Metros include 7 cities -NCR, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad and Chennai)