DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v05i03.059

Pages: 1024-1030

Childhood blindness refers to a group of diseases and conditions occurring in childhood or early adolescence (<16 years of age), which, if left untreated, result in blindness or severe visual impairment that are likely to be untreatable later in life. The prevalence ranges from 0.3/1000 children aged 0–15 years in affluent countries to 1.5/1000 children in very poor communities. This study was conducted over a period of 18 months from January 2015 to June 2016 at Department of Ophthalmology, MDM hospital, Jodhpur. It is non randomized observational study in which all blind or children with severe visual impairment aged less than 15 years attending outdoor of department of Ophthalmology at MDM Hospital and children living in blind schools within and near Jodhpur were enrolled after receiving informed written consent by their parents/guardian. In this study we found that the most important causes of preventable blindness were genetic in 160(56.34%) patients followed by TORCH infections in 6(2.11%), trauma in 4(1.41%) measles in 4(1.41%) and meningitis in 3(1.06%) patients. Most important treatable cause of blindness was cataract in 76(26.76%) patients followed by glaucoma in 12(4.23%) and ROP in 2(0.70%) patients. We concluded that the most important causes of preventable blindness were genetic in 160(56.34%) patients and most important treatable cause of blindness was cataract in 76(26.76%) patients. Early recognition and treatment is essential to prevent development of dense amblyopia.