Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 15, 2025
Comparison of Three Clinical Stereoscopic Methods for Measuring Binocular Visual Function During Amblyopic Treatment in Unilateral Amblyopia
Published on: September 27, 2024
Scholastic status of congenitally blind children following sight surgery
Shakila Bi1, Ajay Chawariya1, Suma Ganesh1
1Dr. Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital, New Delhi, India.
Insights
Project Prakash identifies and treats blind children in India, but many sight-restored students lack essential academic skills. Assessments revealed significant educational gaps, necessitating improved interventions for visually impaired children.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- India has a substantial population of children with treatable blindness.
- Project Prakash offers surgical intervention and subsequent educational opportunities to these children.
- Understanding the specific educational needs of sight-restored children is crucial for effective learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the scholastic preparedness of children participating in Project Prakash.
- To identify educational deficits in sight-restored children, particularly in math proficiency.
- To inform the development of targeted educational interventions for visually impaired and sight-restored students.
Main Methods:
- A diagnostic screening exercise was conducted.
- Math proficiency assessments were designed and administered to 54 children.
- Scholastic preparation was evaluated across a wide age range.
Main Results:
- Most children demonstrated math proficiency significantly below age-appropriate levels.
- Even high school students assessed at a 3rd-grade level in math.
- Many children continued to rely on Braille post-restoration due to inadequate print interpretation instruction.
Conclusions:
- There is a critical need for more rigorous academic assessments for visually impaired/sight-restored children.
- Educational interventions must be tailored to address identified learning gaps.
- Integrating visual function assessments with educational strategies ensures material accessibility.
Abstract:
India is home to a large population of blind children, many with treatable conditions. Project Prakash identifies treatable blind children and provides them with eye surgeries. Once treated, these children are given the opportunity to further their education. To understand their educational needs, we undertook a diagnostic screening exercise. Specifically, we designed math proficiency assessments and evaluated the scholastic preparation of 54 Prakash children across a broad age range. We found that the proficiency of most Prakash children was well below age-appropriate levels. Even those enrolled in high schools had assessed proficiencies around the 3rd-grade level. Furthermore, due to a lack of basic instruction on interpreting print material, many children continued using Braille even after gaining sight. The contrast that these findings present relative to the official standing of the children in their schools makes a compelling case for more rigorous assessments and better educational interventions for visually-impaired/sight-restored children. Also, we argue that these educational interventions should be coupled with visual function assessments to ensure that the presented material is accessible to the child. Our scholastic assessments, suitable for being administered over the phone, will be made available for use by other researchers and educationists.
More Related Videos
05:46Author Spotlight: Advancements in Refractive Surgical Correction for Presbyopia and Exploring Postoperative Visual Acuity
Published on: September 20, 2024
07:12Development of a Gaze-Contingent Display Framework Designed for Perceptual and Oculomotor Research with Simulated Central Vision Loss
Published on: April 11, 2025
