In the year 1936, Dr. Joseph Gnanadhickam, an eminent ophthalmologist in Tiruchirapalli, started Joseph Eye Hospital, with the vision to give quality eye care to the people, especially to the poor and downtrodden. The ownership of the hospital was unconditionally transferred to the church mission in 1960. In 1976, the Comprehensive Ophthalmic Health Programme was started with the view to extend the eye care to the entire district, utilizing the services of 10 peripheral units.

Rehabilitation Services for the Rural Blind in the district was started in 1980. To meet the demand for the trained personnel, the Institute of Ophthalmclogy was started in 1983, which extends helping hands to the mission hospitals whose survival is a challenge. Today Joseph Eye Hospital, with its huge buildings, state of the art technology, wider network, beautifully designed departments, corporate office setups, etc. is a super speciality, non-profitable voluntary Christian institution.

Joseph Eye Hospital offers services to the unaffordable segment of the community over six decades. Every year JEH achieves new heights in its services. The demand for quality eye care services is always on the rise. Being a tertiary care eye hospital, JEH is sensitive to the community's need by constant up-gradation of strategies. Today JEH caters to the needs of around 4.5 million people and provides surgical treatment to more than 24,000 people. Most of our patients are from the unaffordable segment of the community. In 2001, 80% of its patients have received free treatment.'