3. Simple Definition:
1. Inability of a person to count fingers
from a distance of 6 meters or 20 feet
Technical Definition:
1. Vision 6/60 or less with the best
possible spectacle correction
2. Diminution of field vision to 20
degree or less in better eye
4. Brief introduction of NPCB-
National Programme for Control of
Blindness was launched in the year
1976 as a 100% Centrally Sponsored
scheme with the goal to reduce the
prevalence of blindness from 1.4%
to 0.3%.
5. Prevalence Rate of Blindness-
As per Survey in 2001-02,
prevalence of blindness is
estimated to be 1.1%. Target for
the 10th Plan is to reduce
prevalence of blindness to 0.8% by
2007 prevalence of Blindness is 1%
(2006-07 Survey).
6. Main causes of Blindness are as
follows: Corneal Blindness
Refractive error
Corneal Blindness
Glaucoma
Surgical Complication
Posterior Capsular
Opacification
Posterior Segment
Disorder
Others
7. The objectives of the
programme are:
1. To reduce the backlog of blindness through
identification and treatment of blind.
2. To develop Eye Care facilities in every district.
3. To develop human resources for providing Eye
Care Services.
4. To improve quality of service delivery.
5. To secure participation of Voluntary
Organizations in eye care.
8. Organizational Structure : For
effective coordination and
convergence
following structure is proposed at
various levels under the scheme:
(a) Centre Level
(b) State Level
(c) District Level
9. Activities-
1. Annual Eye check up of all incumbents of blind schools covering the
visual acuity, fundus examinations and other appreciate advance test
required to assess chances of visual restoration.
2. Eye check up of applicants who desire to seek admission in a blind school
and issue of certificate of incurable blindness recommending admission
to a blind school. No person would be admitted to blind school without
this certificate.
3. Follow up of treated cases as per recommendation of ophthalmic board.
4. Rehabilitation of incurable blind would be as per scheme of department of
social welfare.
5. Low vision Aids to screen all school going children for refractive errors
And provide spectacles free of cost.
6. Eye check up of the incumbents of blind schools including special
Investigation.
7. 100 percent achievement of Cataract operation of which 90% will be IOL
And 10% for simple cataract surgery 2009-10.
10. Strategies-
The four pronged strategy of the
Programme is:
1. Strengthening service delivery,
2. Developing human resources for eye
care,
3. Promoting outreach activities and
public awareness, and
4. Developing institutional capacity.
11. Revised strategies-
1. To make the National Blindness Control Programme more comprehensive by
strengthening services for other causes of blindness like corneal blindness (requiring
transplantation), refractive errors in school going children, improving follow-up
services of cataract operated persons and treating other causes of blindness like
glaucoma;
2. To shift from eye camp approach to a fixed facility surgical approach and from
conventional surgery to IOL implantation for better quality of post operation vision in
operation patients;
3. To expand the World Bank project activities like constructions of dedicated eye
operation theatres, eye wards at district level, training of eye surgeons, modern
cataract surgery, and other eye surgery and supply of ophthalmic equipment, etc. to
the whole country.
4. To strengthen participation of voluntary organizations in the programme and to ear-
mark geographic areas to NGOs and govt. hospitals and improve the performance of
govt. units like medical college, district hospitals, CHC, PHCs etc.
5. To enhance the coverage of eye care services in tribal and other under served areas
through identification of bilateral blind patients, preparation of villages wise blind
register and giving preference to bilateral blind patients for cataract surgery.
12.
13. It is a global initiative to
reduce avoidable
(preventable and curable)
blindness by the year 2020.
India is also committed to
this initiative.
14. The plan of action for the country has
been developed with following main
features :
Target diseases are cataract, refractive
errors, childhood blindness, glaucoma, diabetic
retinopathy.
Human resource development as well as
infrastructure and technology development at
various levels of health system. The proposed four
tier structure includes Centers of excellence
(20), Training centers (200), service centers
(2000), and vision centers (20,000).
15. Proposed Structure for Vision 2020: The Right to Sight-
• Centers of excellence 20
• Professional leadership
• Strategy development
• Continued medical education(CME)
• Laying of standards and quality assurance
• Research
Tertiary • Training centers 200
• Tertiary eye care including retinal surgery corneal transplantation, glaucoma surgery etc.;
• Training and CME
• Services centers 2000
• Cataract surgery
• Other common eye surgeries
Secondary • Facilities for refraction
• Referral services
• Vision centers 20000
• Refraction and prescription of glasses
• Primary eye care
Primary • School eye screening programme
• Screening and referral services
16. Summary-
NPCB was launched in the year 1976 as a 100% Centrally Sponsored
scheme with the goal to reduce the prevalence of blindness from 1.4%
to 0.3%. Main causes of the blindness are Cataract (62.6%) Refractive
Error (19.70%) Corneal Blindness (0.90%), Glaucoma (5.80%), Surgical
Complication (1.20%) Posterior Capsular Opacification (0.90%) Posterior
Segment Disorder (4.70%), Others (4.19%). Main objectives of NPCB
are(1) To reduce the backlog of blindness through identification and
treatment of blind and (2) To develop Eye Care facilities in every district.
NPCB includes functioning at central, state, and district level. Strategies
of the programme are
1.Strengthening service delivery,2. Developing human resources for eye
care,3. Promoting outreach activities and public awareness, and 4.
Developing institutional capacity. To achieve these objectives Mission
“Vision 2020: The Right to Sight “ is started.
17. Bibliography-
Park.K, Textbook of Preventive and Social
Medicine, 2oth edition, Published by-M/s
Banarsidas Bhanot
Page no. referred- 375-377
Websites-
www.npcb.in
www.doctorshangout.com
www.indiangovt.in/npcb
