A person is considered blind if his vision is less than 1 /20th of normal vision or if he is unable to count fingers at a distance of meters.
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In India nearly 12 million blind people exist and the number is gradually increasing due to industrialisation, malnutrition, poverty and so many other factors discussed below.
Causes of Blindness:
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(i) Communicable diseases responsible for blindness are smallpox, measles, leprosy, trachoma and sexually transmitted diseases.
(ii) Non-communicable diseases responsible for blindness are diabetes, hypertension, and diseases of the nervous system, tumour of the eye, cataract and associated infections of the eye, retinal detachment, glaucoma and injuries of the eye.
(iii) Malnutrition especially vitamin A deficiency is also an important cause of blindness.
(iv) Faulty posture, glare, poor lighting and refractory errors also cause blindness or defective vision.
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(v) Occupation of the persons is also important factor for blindness. Persons working in industries, mines etc. get injury of the eye very often.
(vi) Poverty, illiteracy, inadequate health services and poor sanitation may also cause blindness.
(vii) Superstition and treatment by quacks may also lead to blindness.
Prevention and Control:
(i) Any discharge, redness or pain in the eye should be taken note of seriously and immediate measures should be taken to find out the cause and treated properly.
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(ii) Eye diseases like conjunctivitis, ophthalmia neonatorum, superficial foreign bodies etc. should be treated at the earliest by a trained person.
(iii) Common blindness causing diseases like cataract, eye trauma, glaucoma etc. should be treated by organising camps in villages or in the hospitals.
(iv) Health education and personal hygiene regarding eye care should be given to the public.
(v) Occasional doses of concentrated vitamin A to children are helpful in preventing blindness.
(vi) Special schools for the blind for their proper training and rehabilitation should be started so as to lessen the unproductive expenses on the blind and turn them into productive ones. They should be trained in such a way so as to give them gainful employment.
Specific Programmes for Prevention of Blindness:
A national programme for the prevention and control of blindness was started by the Govt. in the year 1976. According to this programme the target is to reduce the incidence of blindness to 0-3 percent by 2000 A.D. To achieve this target following programmes are undertaken:
(i) Eye check up of children is done in schools.
(ii) Vitamin A prophylaxis is done by giving vitamin A solution orally to all children upto six years of age.
(iii) Eye camps and permanent eye care facilities are established.
(iv) More and more ophthalmologists are persuaded to undertake cataract operations.
(v) Eye banks are being set up.
(vi) Proper sanitation, safe water supply, health education regarding personal hygiene and care of eyes is being provided.