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    Epidemiology of Visual Impairment & Blindness

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    vaishnavi
    This document discusses the epidemiology of visual impairment and blindness. It defines different levels of vision impairment according to the WHO and presents data on prevalence globally and in India. The major causes of vision loss are cataract, refractive errors, and childhood blindness. Prevention strategies include improving nutrition, treating infections, improving safety, and providing primary, secondary, and tertiary eye care services. National programs aim to reduce avoidable blindness through various interventions and long-term measures like health education and sanitation. International agencies support these efforts to eliminate 50% of blindness globally by 2000 through initiatives like Vision 2020.

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    Epidemiology of Visual Impairment & Blindness

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    vaishnavi
    69 views17 pages
    This document discusses the epidemiology of visual impairment and blindness. It defines different levels of vision impairment according to the WHO and presents data on prevalence globally and in India. The major causes of vision loss are cataract, refractive errors, and childhood blindness. Prevention strategies include improving nutrition, treating infections, improving safety, and providing primary, secondary, and tertiary eye care services. National programs aim to reduce avoidable blindness through various interventions and long-term measures like health education and sanitation. International agencies support these efforts to eliminate 50% of blindness globally by 2000 through initiatives like Vision 2020.

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    Epidemiology_of_VI_and__blindness__ck_Edited_18_May_(1)

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    This document discusses the epidemiology of visual impairment and blindness. It defines different levels of vision impairment according to the WHO and presents data on prevalence globally and in India. The major causes of vision loss are cataract, refractive errors, and childhood blindness. Prevention strategies include improving nutrition, treating infections, improving safety, and providing primary, secondary, and tertiary eye care services. National programs aim to reduce avoidable blindness through various interventions and long-term measures like health education and sanitation. International agencies support these efforts to eliminate 50% of blindness globally by 2000 through initiatives like Vision 2020.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as pdf or txt
    69 views17 pages

    Epidemiology of Visual Impairment & Blindness

    Uploaded by

    vaishnavi
    This document discusses the epidemiology of visual impairment and blindness. It defines different levels of vision impairment according to the WHO and presents data on prevalence globally and in India. The major causes of vision loss are cataract, refractive errors, and childhood blindness. Prevention strategies include improving nutrition, treating infections, improving safety, and providing primary, secondary, and tertiary eye care services. National programs aim to reduce avoidable blindness through various interventions and long-term measures like health education and sanitation. International agencies support these efforts to eliminate 50% of blindness globally by 2000 through initiatives like Vision 2020.

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    EPIDEMIOLOGY of VISUAL

    IMPAIRMENT & BLINDNESS


    WHO definition
    • Visual acuity of less than 3/60 (Snellen’s Chart) or its
    equivalent
    • less than 3/60 is (inability to count fingers in daylight
    at a distance of 3 meters)

    Prevalence 0.2 to 1%
    The International Classification of
    Diseases 11 (2018)
    Distance vision impairment:
    • Mild – presenting visual acuity worse than 6/12
    • Moderate – presenting visual acuity worse than
    6/18
    • Severe – presenting visual acuity worse than 6/60
    • Blindness – presenting visual acuity worse than
    3/60
    Near vision impairment:
    Presenting near visual acuity worse than N6 or M.08
    with existing correction..
    Types of Blindness:
    Economic blindness: Inability of a person to count fingers from a distance
    of 6 meters or 20 feet technical Definition
    Social blindness: Vision 3/60 or diminution of field of vision to 10°
    Manifest blindness: Vision 1/60 to just perception of light

    Absolute blindness: No perception of light

    Curable blindness: That stage of blindness where the damage is


    reversible by prompt management e.g. cataract

    Preventable blindness: The loss of blindness that could have been completely
    prevented by institution of effective preventive or
    prophylactic measures e.g. xerophthalmia, trachoma
    and glaucoma

    Avoidable blindness: The sum total of preventable or curable blindness is


    often referred to as avoidable blindness.
    The problem - World
    WHO
    Globally, it is estimated that
    estimates 2010
    at least 2.2 billion people Cataract 33%
    have a vision impairment
    or blindness, of whom at
    least 1 billion have a Glaucoma 2%
    vision impairment that
    could have been
    prevented or has yet to be
    addressed. Refractive errors 43%
    • People 50 years and older
    are 82% of all blind. Childhood others
    blindness
    80% treatable/ potentially
    preventable. Oncho cerciasis others
    Many lack access to care and
    therefore remain blind
    Other causes others
    India
    • National survey of blindness
    • Prevalence of VI is 0.7%
    • Number 68,00,000
    • Main causes ; cataract, refractive errors,
    childhood blindness, corneal blindness
    • Prevalence ofcataract 77%
    • Cataract surgical rate(per1 million per yr) =3400
    Epidemiological determinants
    • Age
    • Sex
    • Malnutrition
    • Occupation
    • Social class
    • Social factors
    Changing concepts in Eye healthcare
    • Primary eye care- promotion and protection of eye
    health, on the spot treatment of common diseases
    • Epidemiological approach- incidence, prevalence,
    risk factors
    • Team concept- dr, village health guides, ophthalmic
    assistants, multi purpose health workers, NGOs
    • Establishment of national programs- reduce
    blindness to 0.3 % by 2000
    Prevention of blindness
    • The concept of avoidable blindness has gained
    increasing recognition.
    • Prevention and /or control
    A. improving nutrition
    B. Treating the case of infection or controlling
    the organism which cause infection.
    C. Improving safety condition.
    Prevention of avoidable blindness
    • Nutrition
    • Treatment
    • Control infections
    • Improving safety conditions

    injuries

    Trachoma
    causing flies
    Components for action in national
    programs
    1. Initial assessment- prevalence surveys

    2.Methods of intervention
    A. Primary eye care- acute conjunctivitis , trachoma, superficial
    foreign bodies, xerophthalmia)-
    Promotion of personal hygiene
    Sanitation etc.. Through trained health workers or
    multipurpose worker.
    B. Secondary care – definitive management of common
    blinding conditions such as cataract, trichiasis, entropion,
    ocular trauma, glaucoma etc
    PHC, district hospitals, mobile eye clinics
    C .Tertiary care
    In medical colleges and institutes of medicine-
    retinal detachment surgery, corneal grafting,, eye
    banks, rehabilitation of the blind (blind school,
    vocational training)
    D. Special programs
    • Trachoma control- 1963
    • School eye health services- refractive errors, squint,
    trachoma etc. students taught eye care
    • Vit A prophylaxis 2 L units orally at 1- 6 yrs and at 6
    mthly intervals
    • Occupational eye health services – educate,
    improve safety, proper lighting
    Long term measures\Improve quality of life
    • Modify or attack factors responsible for
    persisting eye problems
    • Sanitation
    • Safe and adequate water
    • Personal hygiene
    • Health education

    Evaluation has to be integral


    National and international agencies
    • National Association for the blind NAB
    • Royal commonwealth society for the blind
    • International agencies for the prevention of
    blindness
    • Technical cooperation
    • WHO goal was to eliminate 50% of the world’s
    blindness by the year 2000
    Vision 2020
    • The Right to Sight\Global initiative
    • Launched by WHO in Feb 1999
    • Concept centres around rights issues
    • Objective
    Assist member countries in developing
    sustainable systems which will enable them to
    eliminate avoidable blindness from major
    causes by 2020

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