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28This study has aimed to detect the prevalence and causes of childhood blindness in rural area of 29 Bangladesh. A cross sectional quantitative study design was adopted for this study which carried-out in 30 three unions (sub-districts) of Raiganj upazila of Sirajganj district of Bangladesh. Using a validated tool 31 a screening program was conducted at household level. After initial screening a team of ophthalmologists 32 confirmed the diagnosis by clinical examinations. The prevalence of childhood blindness found was 33 6.3 per 10,000 children. The rate of uni-ocular blindness was 4.8 per 10,000 children. Congenital 34 problems were the major cause of both uniocular and binocular blindness (UOB: 84% and BB: 35 92% &). For binocular blindness, whole globe was the responsible site (28.0%, CI: 13.1, 47.7) 36 and cornea was for the uni-ocular blindness (57.8%, CI: 35.3, 78.1). Childhood blindness is a 37 public health problem in Bangladesh. Childhood blindness is common irrespective of gender. 38 Major causes of childhood blindness are congenital.39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 included unit of land ownership; availability of amenities i.e. 133 toilet; daily used fuels; household income along with expenditure and the materials used for 134 building roof, floor and wall of the household. Bi-variate analysis was carried out to analysis the 135 relationship between childhood blindness and the independent variables such as sex, age group, 136 wealth index and classification of blindness. Construction of all variables and estimations were 137 ascertained using the statistical software SPSS version 24.

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and causes of childhood blindness in a rural area of Bangladesh. We adopted a cross-sectional quantitative study design for this study, which was performed in three unions (sub-districts) located in Raiganj Upazila of the Sirajganj district in Bangladesh. Using a validated tool, a screening program was conducted at the household level. After initial screening, a team of ophthalmologists confirmed the diagnoses by clinical examinations. The prevalence of childhood blindness was observed to be 6.3 per 10,000 children, whereas the rate of uniocular blindness was 4.8 per 10,000 children. Congenital problems were the major causes of both uniocular and binocular blindness (uniocular blindness: 84% and binocular blindness: 92%). The whole globe was the site responsible for binocular blindness (28.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 13.1, 47.7), whereas the cornea was responsible for uniocular blindness (57.8%, 95% CI: 35.3, 78.1). Childhood blindness is a public health problem in Bangladesh and is highly prevalent, regardless of sex. The major causes of childhood blindness are congenital.

Early detection and treatment with long-term postoperative rehabilitation is vital to improve visual outcomes of children with congenital cataract.

Ocular trauma score has good prognostic significance if other interventions such as proper evaluation, early surgery, and proper follow-up can be ensured.