The National Programme for Control of Blindness aims to reduce blindness prevalence in India from 1.4% to 0.3% by 2020. It defines blindness as the inability to count fingers from 6 meters away. The main causes of blindness in India are cataract (62%), refractive error (20%), and glaucoma (6%). Key strategies of the program include providing free cataract surgeries and spectacles, screening school children, and raising awareness about eye donation and care.

1. NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR
CONTROL OF BLINDNESS
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Definition of Blindness under NPCB
• Inability of a person to count fingers from a
distance of 6 meters or 20 feet.
• Main causes of Blindness are Cataract(62%),
Refractive error(20%), Glaucoma(6%),Corneal
Blindness(1%), Surgical Complications(1%)
and Others(4%).

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GLOBAL BURDEN OF BLINDNESS
As per WHO Statistics:-
• 285 million people visually impaired worldwide
• 39 million are blind & 246 million have low vision
• 82 % of people living with blindness are aged 50
& above.
• Globally uncorrected refractive errors are the
main cause of visual impairment.
• Cataract remain the leading cause of blindness in
middle & low income countries.

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NATIONAL BURDEN OF BLINDNESS
• Out of 39 million blind people across globe
,India has 8 million blind person.
• As per 2006-07 survey the prevalence of
blindness was 1%.
• Prevalence of blindness-
1) > 50 years was 8.5%.
2) Childhood blindness is 0.8/1000.
3)Children 5-15 yrs the visual impairment is
6.4%.

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Introduction
• India was the first country in the world to
launch National Level Blindness Control
Programme.
• NPCB was launched in 1976 as a 100% centrally
sponsored programme.
• In 1994-95 programme decentralized with
formation of District Blindness Control Society in
each district.
• Goal- to reduce the prevalence of blindness
from 1.4 to 0.3% by 2020.

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Objectives of NPCB
1)To continue 3 ongoing major objectives i.e.,
performance of 66 lacs cataracts operations per
year; school eye screening & distribution of 9 lacs
free spectacles per year for refractive errors; and
collection of 50 thousand donated eyes per year
for keratoplasty.

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Contd…….
3)To develop comprehensive universal eye care
services and quality service delivery.
4)Strengthening and upgradation of Regional
Institutes of Ophthalmology to Centre of
Excellance in various sub-specialities.
5)Strengthening of existing infrastructure
facilities and to develop additional human
resources for providing eye care in all districts.

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Contd……..
6)To enhance community awareness on eye
care.
7)To increase and expand research for
prevention of blindness and visual
impairment.
8)To improve / develop participation of
voluntary organizations/private
practitioners in delivering eye care.

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Stratagies of Programme
• Continued emphasis on Free Cataract surgery
through govt. health care system and through
NGOs & private sectors.
• Making the program ‘Comprehensive’
• Active screening of population >50 yrs for
cataract l

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• Screening of children for refractive errors &
provision of free glasses to the needy.
• Coverage of underserved areas( Tribal
areas)
• Capacity building of eye care providers
• IEC activities for creating awareness on eye
care in the community
• improved & strengthening of medical
colleges

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• District hospitals also to be strengthened by
upgrading infrastructure ,staff & funds.
• Creating multipurpose district mobile
ophthalmic units for improving coverage.

12. Organizational Structure
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Activities under NPCB Programme
• Cataract operations
• Involvement of NGOs
• Information education communication
activities
• Management Information System
• School Eye Screening Programme
• Collection and utilization of donated Eyes
• Control of Vitamin A deficiency
• Monitoring and Evaluation by survey

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• Cataract surgery by Steps to control cataract
blindness
• 1. Identify the blind and list them in the village registers
• 2. Organise screening camps for confirming the
cataract blind for referral
• 3. Transport the cataract blind to the base hospital
• 4. Follow up of the operated cases, carrying out
refraction and providing best corrective spectacles.
• .

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School Eye Screening Programme
• 5%-7% of children aged 10-14 years have problems
with their eyesight affecting their learning at school.
• Teachers have been trained to screen the children.
Screening is to be done on an annual basis.
• After confirmation by Ophthalmic Assistants, glasses
are prescribed or provided free of cost to the poor.
• During 2012-13, 7,08,861 school age children have
been provided free spectacles

16. Collection and Utilization of Eye donation
• Corneal blindness accounts for 1 % of all cases of blindness. It
mainly occurs among children and young adults.
• Common causes include vitamin A deficiency, eye
infections and injuries.
• Donated eyes need to be removed within 6 hours of
death of the individual. It is to be preserved in specific
solutions in eye banks and utilized for transplantation
within 72 hours.
• Eye donation fortnight is organized from 25th August to
8th September every year to promote eye donation/eye
banking.
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• Development of infrastructure: Construction
of eye wards, operation theatres and dark
rooms was taken up during ninth plan.

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• IEC Activities: IEC activities are taken up at central, state and
district level.
• Special comps for mass awareness are taken up during
eye donation fortnight (25th August to 8th september) and
world sight day (2nd Thursday of October).
• Support to voluntary organisations: Voluntary Organisations
play an important role in implementing various activities
under the programme. For expansion/D of eye care units in
tribal and backward rural areas

19. New initiatives of the program in 12th
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Five Year Plan
. Distribution of free spectacles
• Telemedicine in ophthalmology department
• Provision of multipurpose District Mobile
Ophthalmic Units in all districts all over the
country.

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VISION 2020: Right to Sight
• Global initiative to reduce avoidable blindness
(preventable and curable) by the year 2020.
• Target Diseases:
1. Cataract
2. Refractive errors
3. Childhood blindness
4. Corneal blindness(trachoma)
5. Glaucoma
6. Diabetic retinopathy

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• These two measures are:
- providing refractive services
- cataract surgery
• The basis of reduction of ‘avoidable blindness’
depends not only on specific eye care services
but also on other sectors like-
-RCH: immunization against (rubella,measles),
nutrition, prematurity
- Safe water and basic sanitation.

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