National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB)

Physical Performance Report for the last 5 (five) Years

At present the blindness rate is 0.74% as compared to the Natural rate of 1.1%. The Contributing factors to blindness are mainly Cataract, Refractive Errors, Corneal Diseases, Glaucoma, Squint, Injuries, Vitamin A Deficiencies etc.

OPD’s School Eye Screenings and Eye Camps are the Regular activities of the NPCB. Cataract Cases detected in the Camps and OPD are brought to the base Hospital and operated. Refractive Errors detected in school children were prescribed with suitable spectacles and for these who could not afford, free spectacles were provided through the societies.

The School Eye Screenings for the last 5 (five) years is summarize below :-
School Eye Screening:-

Year	Teachers trained in screening	No. of children screened	Children detected with refractive errors	Children provided Glasses
2002-03	1269	15851	671	203
2003-04	423	36859	3436	199
2004-05	638	57836	4276	156
2005-06	454	48477	4839	452
2006-07	125	48352	6007	750

It can be seen that the turn-out of the patients for screening have been progressively better. However, non-compliance by the patient is still there and a lot is to be stressed by intensifying Health Education efforts, so that a 100% compliance can be achieved. Some of the main reasons that can be accounted for some patients not to undertake surgery are as follows :-

Fear of Surgery.
Lack of Co-operation from patient’s relatives.
Still believing in Myths and take blindness as fate.