The National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) aims to reduce blindness prevalence in India. Key points:
- Cataract is the leading cause of blindness, responsible for 66.2% of cases.
- NPCBVI provides eye care services across India through district hospitals, PHCs, and NGOs. It focuses on cataract surgeries, treating other diseases, and distributing free glasses.
- The program faces challenges of underutilization of funds, delays in NGO payments, and occasional poor surgical quality despite guidelines. Establishing dedicated eye facilities and training is encouraged.