The Department of Ophthalmology is situated in the Schell Campus. The Schell Campus lies in the centre of the city of Vellore and near the Old Town. This campus was where Dr Ida Scudder built the first 40-bed Mary Taber Schell Memorial Hospital in 1902 and expanded her services to the community and training compounders, nurses and women physicians. Eye care services have been provided from this campus since the early 1930s.

This department was formed in 1941with 14 beds and is one of the oldest departments of the College.

The department is a multispecialty tertiary care centre providing clinical services, education and research. The services provided include – outpatient services (Monday to Saturday), inpatient services (100 beds), day care procedures and surgeries, emergency services (24×7), specialty clinics (Glaucoma, Squint (adult and pediatric), Neuro-ophthalmology, Cornea, Contact Lens, Septic OPD, Uveitis, Medical Retina, Paediatric Ophthalmology, Amblyopia therapy, CVI clinic, Vitreoretinal services, Orbit and Oculoplasty, Prosthetic Clinic, Orbital Trauma, Ocular Oncology, Low Vision Rehabilitation) and Public Eye Health (screening camps – cataract, diabetic retinopathy, refractive error, vision centres, mobile clinic, teleophthalmology, secondary hospital services (CHAD, RUHSA, Jawadhi, LCECU) and health worker training (community health workers, general practitioners, nurses, social workers, optometrists, etc). We also provide screening services at the Ranipet campus (general Ophthalmology) and main campus (Endo DR Clinic). 

We have a full-fledged clinic in the Chittoor Campus which provides outpatient services and limited surgical services at present.

We run training programs for undergraduate students as part of their entire curriculum (MBBS, BPT, BOT), BSc Optometry, MS (Ophthalmology) and post doctoral fellowships (Glaucoma, Uveitis and Medical Retina, Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, Vitreoretinal Surgery, Oculoplastics, Orbital and Lacrimal Surgery, Comprehensive and Community Ophthalmology).

Extensive research is being conducted in the department from stem cells to various investigative, surgical and public health domains covering all aspects of Ophthalmology.