A study conducted among garment factory workers in Bengaluru has found that correcting near-vision impairment with simple reading glasses significantly improved productivity, while also enhancing workers’ quality of life.

Published recently in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, the study titled PROSPER II (PROductivity Study of Presbyopia Elimination in gaRment workers) was conducted by Good Business Lab, a non-profit labour innovation lab, in partnership with Shahi Exports Pvt. Ltd.

Presbyopia, an age-related decline in near vision that generally begins between 35 and 40 years of age, affects more than 1.8 billion people globally and is considered the leading cause of vision impairment worldwide. Researchers noted that one in four sewing machine operators in the selected factories had uncorrected near-vision impairment affecting both work and daily activities.

The study was carried out between November 2023 and May 2024 across factories operated by the garment manufacturer in Karnataka. Researchers found that workers who received near-vision glasses recorded a 5.7% to 6% increase in productivity over a 12-week period compared with those who did not receive immediate vision correction.

Nearly 5,000 screened

The study screened 4,990 workers, of whom 3,648 underwent detailed eye examinations. A total of 682 workers — a majority of whom were women, with an average age of 41 years — were enrolled in the trial. Participants were randomly divided into two groups, with 344 workers receiving immediate near-vision glasses and the remaining group receiving them at the end of the study period.

The intervention, implemented by VisionSpring, a non-profit social enterprise, involved vision screening and provision of free spectacles.

Researchers estimated that the intervention generated a 337% return on investment during the three-month trial period. Factories recorded an estimated net benefit of around ₹4,000 per worker within six weeks, with projected annual gains of nearly ₹15,000 per worker.

Improvement in visual function

The study also documented improvements in self-reported visual function and day-to-day activities among workers receiving glasses. Adherence to wearing spectacles rose steadily during the study, increasing from 41% in the fourth week to 65% by the twelfth week.

Researchers said the findings were particularly significant for the garment industry, where work such as stitching, inspection and finishing relies heavily on detailed near-vision tasks. India’s textile and garment sector employs millions of workers, a large proportion of them women.

Low-cost intervention

Achyuta Adhvaryu, co-founder of Good Business Lab, and one of the authors of the study, said the trial demonstrated that a simple and low-cost intervention could produce productivity gains comparable to far more expensive performance-linked incentives or training programmes.

Anant Ahuja, director – ESG and Sustainability at Shahi Exports, said the company would now expand vision correction programmes across its factories, with a target of reaching nearly 1,00,000 workers.

Corroborating the findings, Rohit Shetty, chairman of Narayana Nethralaya, said the trial highlighted how accessible eye care could directly improve workplace dignity, women’s empowerment and economic independence.

“Clear near vision is often taken for granted, yet millions of workers across low- and middle-income countries struggle daily with preventable visual disability. This research reinforces that accessible eye care is not merely about vision correction — it directly impacts economic independence, workplace dignity, women’s empowerment and poverty reduction,” he said.

“Importantly, the study shifts the conversation from eye care being viewed solely as a medical service to being recognised as a critical development and productivity intervention. In many ways, it is a reminder that small healthcare interventions, when scaled thoughtfully, can create profound societal and economic change,” Dr. Shetty added.