Posted recently in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology, the study has indicated that vision centres can assistance in reducing blindness and vision impairment.

In a novel initiative, researchers from the Neighborhood Eye Treatment Foundation led by consultant ophthalmologist Dr Parikshit Gogate attempted to estimate the prevalence of blindness and serious visual impairment (SVI) by using a doorway-to-doorway screening and vision centre (VC) assessment system in Pune slums throughout a populace of virtually 50,000 in 2015 and then recurring the exercise just after 4 many years to examine its impact.

“We observed a reduction of blindness and visible impairment over the a long time, and the gender hole in eyes with eyesight <6/12 narrowed. Our teams screened close to 50,000 persons in their homes in 2015-16 and then again in 2019. Prevalence of blindness reduced by 40 per cent. More women were blind as compared to men. However, this reduced in five years though the difference still persisted between men and women. Now, nearly 60 per cent of people visiting the vision centres were women as access to care is not a barrier. What the study has shown is that services should be easily available," Dr Gogate said.

A dedicated team led by Dr Supriya Phadke of four trained community health workers measured the visual acuity and performed an external ocular examination in patients’ homes. If vision is 20/60 (6/18), the person can read at 20ft (6 metres) what people with normal vision can read at 60 ft (18 metres). Hence, people with vision <6/18 were urged to visit the vision centre for a comprehensive eye examination by an optometrist. An ophthalmologist examined people whose vision did not improve to 6/12. A home examination was done for people who did not visit the vision centre despite two requests. The same population of around 50,000 was examined twice in an interval of four years.

“The principal cause of blindness was…