Blindness and cataract in children in developing countries

Population-based data on childhood blindness are required in order to plan control strategies, but they are difficult to obtain: • As childhood blindness is ten times rarer than blindness in adults, population-based surveys require a very large sample size. • Examining blind children in a field study requires special expertise, a trained field team, and special equipment. • Visual acuity measurement is difficult in very young children and involves special test materials or charts.• In many communities, blind children are hidden because of stigma. Methods used for identifying blind children generally target specific locations where children may be found, in order to increase the chances of finding blind children. These methods include examining children in anganwandis(kindergartens), schools, vision centres, paediatric eye care centres, and during special outreach initiatives such as sarva siksha abhiyan (‘education for all’). The ‘key informant’ method is another means of finding blind children.