Blindness and Visual Impairment and their Causes in Nepal

Blindness and visual impairment (VI) are big health problems, especially for kids. Visual Impairment and their Causes in Nepal also affect people, families, communities, and countries in social and economic ways. Most of the eye problems in Nepal that low-income children have with their eyesight can be prevented or fixed.

 

Nepal has problems with its geography that make it important to do specific studies to find out how common childhood VI and blindness are and what causes them so that effective policies and programs can be made.

 

This blog looks at what makes people go blind or have trouble seeing in Nepal. It’s mostly about school-aged blind kids who go to an integrated school for the blind and a medical center in Kathmandu.

Prevalence and Etiology: Eye Problems in Nepal

The number of blind children varies around the world, from 0.3/1000 in high-income countries to 1.5/1000 in the poorest countries. In developed countries, the leading causes are cerebral visual impairment, retinopathy of prematurity, and retinal dystrophy.

 

In developing countries, the leading causes are vitamin A deficiency, measles, and uncorrected refractive errors.

 

Previous studies done in Nepal between 2008 and 2017 showed that corneal diseases were the main cause of VI and blindness in children. But because of changes in health care and nutrition programs over the past ten years, it is important to look at how it causes eye problems in Nepal and how the rates of disease are changing.

Methodology

As part of the Nepal Pediatric Visual Impairment Study, the current research employed a descriptive cross-sectional design (NPVI). Participants included school-aged children (7 to 17 years) from integrated schools for the blind as well as outpatients from a tertiary referral hospital in Kathmandu.

 

The data collection process included a comprehensive medical history, ocular examinations, visual acuity assessments, and classification based on WHO criteria for VI and blindness. Statistical software was used to analyze the data.

Results and Discussion

There were 200 children in the study, and 45% of them had moderate VI, 5% had severe VI, 44.5% were blind, and 5.5% couldn’t see light. Researchers found that retinal diseases are the main cause of blindness and visual impairment. This is a change from previous studies, which focused on corneal diseases.

 

Also, there were often factors that came from the person’s family, followed by things that happened after birth, in infancy, and in childhood. About 43.5% of children with VI and blindness had causes that could have been prevented. This shows how important it is to take steps to prevent and treat VI and blindness.

Comparison with Previous Studies

When the current results were compared to those of studies done in Nepal between 2008 and 2017, it was clear that the causes of childhood VI and blindness had changed. In earlier studies, corneal opacity was the main cause, but the number of people with retinal diseases has grown.

 

This change may be due to the success of immunization programs and the use of effective vitamin A programs in Nepal.

How To Deal With Vision Impairment and Childhood Blindness

Children who have trouble seeing may need extra help in school and remedial services to help them learn and develop important skills. Giving a child who has trouble seeing their family the right help and counseling can make a difference.

 

Equity Nepal, an NGO focused on supporting children with visual impairments in Nepal, plays a vital role in their educational journey and skill development. By bridging the gap and providing support, we strive to ensure that visually impaired children have access to quality education by working closely with schools and educators. Through collaboration, we create inclusive learning environments and adapt teaching methods to meet the specific needs of visually impaired students. 

 

Additionally, the organization offers specialized training programs to help these children develop the necessary skills, empowering them to lead independent and fulfilling lives. 

 

A child who is blind or has trouble seeing faces problems every day. Without more love and support, the obstacles can’t be overcome. For the child’s development, it is important that the family play, talk, socialize, and bond with the child every day. This will stimulate the child’s other senses, give him support, and give him confidence.

Bonus: Early Symptoms and Challenges of Vision Impairment

Seeing how a child behaves or how they move their eyes can help you figure out if they have a problem with their eyesight or not. Learn as much as you can so that you can spot the signs in the children in your immediate area.

 

The early warning signs of vision impairment in children may vary, but the following is a list of some of the most commonly encountered warning signs and challenges that children face:

• Squinting or closing one eye when trying to focus on something.
• Putting your head down to read or look at something
• By putting things right up to their eyes
• Avoiding tasks that require visual focus
• Frequent complaints of headaches, pain, itching, or irritation of the eyes
• Poor performance in school, especially when it comes to reading and writing.
• Not being able to recognize familiar things or features
• Eyes that are sensitive to light
• Problems with hand-eye coordination

 

If you think your child might be having trouble seeing, you should make a visit with an eye doctor as soon as you can. The earlier a child is diagnosed, the better their possibilities are of stopping or slowing the loss of their vision and enhancing their overall quality of life.

Solutions for Visual Impairment and their Causes in Nepal

The best way to help a child with low vision depends on why the child has low vision and how bad his or her condition is. Here are some examples of common ways to treat someone with eye problems in Nepal:

 

Corrective lenses: It is possible to improve one’s ability to see clearly and correct refractive errors by wearing corrective lenses, such as glasses or contact lenses.

 

Medications: When treating the underlying conditions that are leading to vision loss, it is sometimes necessary to use medications and eye drops to treat the symptoms in the meantime.

 

Surgery: Cataracts and other types of clouding of the eye can both be treated through surgical procedures, which can also be used to treat a wide range of other visual problems.

Wrapping Up!

There are numerous reasons for Visual Impairment and their Causes in Nepal; however, cataracts, refractive errors, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration are some of the most common causes.

 

But there are plans set up to deal with these problems, such as campaigns to raise awareness, training for health care workers, and providing affordable eye care services. 

 

Still, continued support and investment from the government are important if Nepal wants to improve Visual Impairment and their Causes in Nepal and lower the number of blind and visually impaired people.