Poorva Chavan
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Written By: Poorva Chavan | Published : April 4, 2016 2:58 PM IST
Prevention of Blindness week is observed in the first week of April from the 1st to the 7th of the month.
Over 3.5 million people suffer from blindness in India with 3000 new cases being reported every year. According to Netradaan, a non-profit organisation, India shares the highest burden blindness in the world. According to the National Programme for Control of Blindness, main causes of blindness are cataract (62.6%), refractive error (19.70%), corneal blindness (0.9%), glaucoma (5.80%), surgical complication (1.20%) , Posterior Capsular Opacification (0.90%), Posterior Segment Disorder (4.70%), others (4.19%). The NPCB also estimates that the National Prevalence of Childhood Blindness /Low Vision is 0.80 per thousand children.
The rapid survey conducted under NPCB in 2006-2007 shows that the prevalence of blindness in India has reduced 1.1% in 2001-2002 to 1% in 2006-2007and the NPCB aims to reduce the prevalence to 0.3% by 2020.
There are various organisations like the National Association for the Blind (NAB) working towards reducing the prevalence of blindness in the country. The Prevention of Blindness Department in Mumbai set up under NAB provides free detection and treatment of glaucoma, cataract, conjunctivitis, provides medication and spectacles to children living in the slums and to those studying in municipal schools. Umesh Deshpande, Head, Prevention of Blindness Department, said that NAB provides these facilities to underprivileged and disadvantaged adult population free of cost. They have a trained staff and state -of-the-art ophthalmic equipment which helps them in conducting eye screening camps across Mumbai.
Talking about prevention of Blindness, Umesh Deshpande said that it is important to take care of eyes right from childhood. Nowadays children are hooked to television and smartphones. Their exposure to such devices should be limited and screen time should be reduced. Also, another important thing to prevent blindness is to visit an eye specialist immediately if you suffer any problem with your eyes.
Talking about the increasing eye problems, Dr Ira Chopra, Consultant Eye Surgeon, Paras Hospitals, says that blue light has a short wavelength and a high frequency, because of which it has a glaring effect on the eye. She says that prolonged exposure to computers, television screens, smart phones and tabs strains the eye and causes headache and fatigue. The exposure may cause retinal damage and lead to age-related macular degeneration, which can lead to vision loss.
Here are some tips to prevent loss of vision--
1. Limit your screen time. While there's no way to avoid computers at work, reduce your exposure to screens in your leisure time. Avoid surfing the net or chatting online, as it may strain your eyes and give you a headache.
2. Your posture while looking at a screen is also important. Reduce the brightness and surrounding lights to make sure the screen causes minimal glare. Also, the screen should be right in front of your eyes so that there is no strain.
3.While at work, take regular breaks from your screen time, go for a quick walk every two hours. Don't forget to blink more often.
4. One of the most effective ways to prevent eye strain is to wear protective eye wear while using digital screens as it helps in reducing blue light exposure. You can also wear protective lenses with blue light filters as they help in reducing eye strain and fatigue.
Image source: Shutterstock
