A Literature Review on Prevalence and Causes of Childhood Blindness in India

Abstract

Target of vision 2020- right to sight is to control blindness. Blindness in children affects their psychological and social growth. Various research were done on community and in blind school to know about the prevalence and causes of blindness in children. Total five- community based studies were done for knowing about the prevalence of blindness that also includes two refractive error studies for the children below 16 years of age in India. Result of data collected from blind school showed that blindness in children shifted from corneal causes to whole globe abnormalities.
 Blindness in children has different impact in different region based upon the socioeconomic development of that region, primary health care centre present in that region and also the eye care services provided to the people. The strategies to control blindness should be region specific. Solution has to be drafted based on regional challenges, in such a way that it helps to cure the blindness and also help to reduce the chances of blindness in future. Prevention strategies is targeted towards proper and timely immunization, control of Vit A deficiency by providing healthy and balanced diet and to educate people about the outcome of blindness and also providing tertiary level care to treat the causes. No available data is present to know about the causes and incidence of blindness in children. Rehabilitation programme done on community level help to identify the incidence and causes of blindness in children present in India.
 In this article we have discussed about childhood blindness, prevalence of childhood blindness, causes of childhood blindness, prevention of childhood blindness, control of childhood blindness, programmes running for childhood blindness. Refractive error such as myopia leads to blindness in children. School going children are at increase risk for developing blindness due to refractive error that is not corrected. Control of blindness in children is very important because a child suffer more years from blindness than adults. Around 1.4 million are affected by childhood blindness globally. Per year approx 500000 children are affected and became blind. The cause that is most common and in fact single for childhood blindness worldwide is vit A deficiency. By the year 2020, WHO has took the initiative to eliminate blindness. Some of the factors that can help are good nutrition to child, taking proper care of mother and child, proper immunization of mother and child, health education etc.

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