Young Systems Leader: Soubhik Chel

Soubhik Chel is a dedicated myopia practitioner and optometrist committed to advancing evidence-based clinical practice and involved in various community-based public health initiatives in India. He currently serves as the consultant optometrist at INFOR Myopia Centre and as the lead of the UCCM School Screening Program (SSP). He plays a primary role in designing and executing structured, large-scale vision-screening models to diagnose keratoconus and refractive errors among children.

After completing his bachelor’s degree in clinical optometry in Kolkata, Chel pursued clinical training at L.V. Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI), Hyderabad, India. There, he was immersed in tertiary-level patient care, academic rigour, and a strong research culture that shaped his long-term professional vision. His journey reflects resilience and a clear sense of purpose, transitioning from a modest academic beginning to a career as a clinician deeply invested in paediatric vision care and translational research.

Chel led the first dedicated myopia centre of the state of Andhra Pradesh at LVPEI’s Kode Venkatadri Chowdary Campus in Vijayawada, India, and was recognised as the youngest myopia specialist at that time. The clinic was developed with a forward-thinking framework that integrates myopia risk-factor assessment, axial length monitoring, evidence-based myopia-control strategies, and long-term follow-up protocols.

As the optometry lead of the UCCM School Screening Program, he oversees a multi-tier model involving large cohorts of schoolchildren. The programme includes primary eye screening, a comprehensive eye examination for identified cases, corneal topography, and referral for suspected keratoconus, refractive error, or other ocular abnormalities. To date, the programme has completed screening of over 2,00,000 schoolchildren and performed more than 50,000 corneal topography assessments within a very short span. Under his leadership, the initiative goes beyond detection to raise awareness among parents, teachers, and school administrators about the importance of early intervention, compliance, and preventive eye-health behaviours. His broader vision is to eliminate uncorrected refractive errors at the community level while embedding structured myopia-control pathways within school health systems.

Chel is actively engaged in clinical research, particularly in myopia prevalence and sibling correlation. As a proud representative of Gen-Z in healthcare, Chel embodies adaptability, digital fluency, collaborative leadership, and purpose-driven impact. He believes that the next generation of eye care professionals must not only treat patients but also build systems, influence policy, and scale innovation. His journey in developing a dedicated myopia clinic and leading structured screening programmes reflects how young clinicians can create measurable, sustainable impact when guided by evidence, mentorship, and vision.