The Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Government Ophthalmic Hospital is the oldest Ophthalmic Institute in Southeast Asia. It was established in the year 1819. It is the second oldest eye hospital in the world next only to MOORFIELDS EYE HOSPITAL, London established in 1818. Chennai may well be proud of this Institution and its world wide reputation. Dr. Travers, who was holding the appointment as surgeon in London to the East India Company in 1819, drew the attention of the Directors of East India Company to set up an Eye Infirmary in India similar to the one in London. Dr. Robert Richardson, one of the company’s surgeons came to Chennai (then Madras) and established the Madras Eye Infirmary in July 1819 at Royapettah, in Madras.  During the period of Lt. Col. E.F. Drake Brodeman, FRCS in the year 1844, the present site was chosen and the foundation was laid. The Eye infirmary was rechristened as the Government Ophthalmic Hospital in 1888.