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Childhood blindness in India: a population based perspective

R Dandona1, L Dandona

  • 1Centre for Social Services, Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad, India. rakhi@asci.org.in

The British Journal of Ophthalmology
|February 25, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Childhood blindness affects 0.17% of children in Andhra Pradesh, India. Leading causes include refractive errors and preventable conditions like vitamin A deficiency, highlighting the need for targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Public Health
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Childhood blindness presents a significant public health challenge globally.
  • Understanding the specific causes and prevalence is crucial for effective intervention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of blindness in children under 15 years of age.
  • To identify the primary causes of childhood blindness in Andhra Pradesh, India.

Main Methods:

  • Population-based studies involving 6,935 children aged 15 or younger.
  • Definition of blindness: presenting distance visual acuity less than 6/60 in the better eye.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of childhood blindness was found to be 0.17%.
  • Treatable refractive error was the leading cause (33.3%).
  • Preventable causes (vitamin A deficiency, post-cataract surgery amblyopia) and congenital anomalies/retinal degeneration each accounted for 16.7%.

Conclusions:

  • Key areas for intervention to reduce childhood blindness in India include refractive errors, cataract-related amblyopia, and corneal diseases.
  • These findings align with the goals of Vision 2020 for preventing avoidable blindness.
Abstract

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