Ritika Maharana is 11 years old and loves school. Or she used to. Over time, something had changed - her grades began to slip, she grew quieter in class, and a subject she had once engaged with eagerly started to feel like a source of frustration and failure. What no one around her realised was that Ritika simply could not see the blackboard clearly from where she sat.
Poor vision in young children often masquerades as disinterest, learning difficulties, or behavioural issues. Teachers and parents focus on the symptoms - falling grades, distraction, withdrawal - without identifying the root cause. For Ritika, the cause was straightforward: she needed glasses.
"Her grades dropped because she couldn't see the blackboard. One school camp visit changed everything."
When Care Netram visited her school as part of their school eye screening program, Ritika was among the students assessed. The examination quickly confirmed what had been affecting her - a refractive error that was entirely correctable with the right lenses. A pair of prescription glasses was provided to her through the program.
The change was immediate and visible. Ritika could read the board, follow her teacher's writing, and keep up with her class for the first time in months. The subject that had become a struggle returned to being something she could engage with and enjoy.
Her confidence came back. Her grades improved. And for Ritika, school became what it is meant to be - a place where a child feels capable, seen, and full of possibility. One visit to the school camp, one pair of glasses, and an 11-year-old's future looked very different.
