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According to Prof. Asad Aslam Khan, the national coordinator of Pakistan’s prevention of blindness programme, the prevalence of blindness was found to be greater in women (2.07 percent) than in men (1.98 percent). The total was 2.02 percent.
In 15 years, the number of people who are blind decreases by one-third.
Blindness is associated with uncorrected cataract in 49% of cases, while glaucoma, corneal opacity, undiagnosed aphakia, macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy account for 51% of cases. Refractive error was the primary contributor to visual impairment (11.9pc).
According to the findings, cataract-related blindness decreased from 55 to 49 percent.
During a briefing on the sample size, Prof. Khan, who is also the head of the National Committee for Eye Health, stated that the study, which was carried out in 16 different regions, comprised around 44,800 people aged 50 and above.
Considering that persons in this age range account for 80% of all occurrences of blindness and vision impairment, he continued, the survey’s goal was to assess the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment among adults 50 and older and to determine its causes.
Dr. Shazia Somroo, Parliamentary Secretary for Health, spoke at the ceremony and termed the results “extremely encouraging,” attributing the upward trend to successful public-private partnerships.
In cooperation with INGOs and local organisations, the National Committee for Eye Health (NCEH) and the federal health ministry established and carried out two five-year programmes for the prevention of blindness in 2004 survey.
A college of ophthalmology was constructed at Mayo Hospital in Lahore between 2004 and 2020, and eye departments were also established nationwide in 32 teaching hospitals, 122 district headquarters hospitals, and more than 150 tehsil headquarters hospitals.
Dr. Shabana Saleem, director general of the Ministry of Health, stated that significant efforts were required to reduce the prevalence of blindness and vision impairment. She also promised that the ministry will carry out further surveys in the future.
According to the data, $270 billion in losses in productivity are caused by blindness and vision impairment.
