Blindness Control Program

Epidemiology & Causes - The Blinding Truth

• Goal (NPCB&VI): Reduce blindness prevalence to 0.25% by 2025.
• Definitions (WHO/NPCB):
  • Blindness: VA < 3/60 OR field < 10° around central fixation (better eye, best correction).
  • Low Vision: VA < 6/18 to 3/60.
• Major Causes of Blindness (India, NPCB Survey 2015-19):
  • Cataract (untreated): 66.2%
  • Corneal Opacity: 7.4%
  • Cataract Surgical Complications: 7.2%
  • Posterior Segment Disorders (excl. DR): 5.9%
  • Glaucoma: 5.5%

⭐ Untreated cataract is the leading cause of blindness in India, responsible for ~66% of cases. )

NPCBVI Basics - India's Vision Plan

• Launched: 1976 as a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
• Initial Goal: Reduce blindness prevalence from 1.4% to 0.3%.
• Current NPCBVI Goals: Reduce blindness prevalence to 0.25% by 2025; reduce visual impairment <5% (among ≥50 yrs).
• Key Strategies:
  • Strengthening comprehensive eye care services.
  • Human resource development.
  • Information, Education, Communication (IEC) & community participation.

⭐ Cataract is the leading cause of avoidable blindness in India, a primary target of NPCBVI operations such as free cataract surgeries for the needy.

Program Interventions - Sight Savers Strike

• Cataract Operations: Mainstay; high-volume, quality surgeries (free/subsidized) to clear backlog.
• Childhood Blindness:
  • School Eye Screening (SES): Refractive errors (free spectacles), Vit A deficiency, other eye issues.
  • Vitamin A supplementation: Prophylaxis for children 6 months - 5 years.
• Corneal Blindness:
  • Eye Donation Promotion: Eye banking network, Hospital Cornea Retrieval Program (HCRP).
• Comprehensive Eye Care:
  • IEC & BCC for awareness & health promotion.
  • Manpower Development: Training personnel.
  • Infrastructure Strengthening: PHCs to Tertiary.
  • Managing other causes: Glaucoma, Diabetic Retinopathy.
  • Low Vision Device provision.

⭐ NPCBVI aims to reduce blindness prevalence to 0.3% by 2025 and visual impairment to <3%.

Program Goals & Outcomes - Eye on the Prize

• NPCB&VI (1976): Initial goal: ↓ blindness prevalence from 1.4% to 0.3%. Blindness defined as VA <3/60 (better eye, best correction).
• Vision 2020 (Global): Aimed to eliminate avoidable blindness (e.g., cataract, refractive errors) by 2020. India aligned its strategies.
• Current NPCB&VI Targets (by 2025):
  • ↓ Blindness prevalence to 0.25%.
  • ↓ Visual impairment prevalence to <2.5%.
  • ↑ Cataract Surgical Rate (CSR) to 6000/million/year.
  • Provide free spectacles to 40 lakh school children annually.
• Achievements: Blindness prevalence ↓ to 0.36% (National Blindness & VI Survey 2015-19).
• Challenges: Cataract backlog, rising Diabetic Retinopathy, Glaucoma, service inequity.

⭐ Current target: Reduce blindness prevalence to 0.25% by 2025 and achieve CSR >6000/million/year anually under NPCB&VI.

High‑Yield Points - ⚡ Biggest Takeaways

• NPCB&VI (National Programme for Control of Blindness & Visual Impairment) launched in 1976, aims to reduce avoidable blindness.
• Cataract is the most common cause of blindness in India (~62.6%).
• VISION 2020: The Right to Sight was a global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness by 2020.
• Key strategies include free cataract surgeries, school eye screening (children 5-15 years), and promoting eye donation.
• Blindness is defined as visual acuity <3/60 (or <10° field) in the better eye with best correction.
• Current target: Reduce blindness prevalence to 0.25% by 2025.
• Childhood blindness control is a key component, addressing Vitamin A deficiency and ROP.