National program for control blindness and visual impairment
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National Programme Control Blindness Visual Impairment NPCB India 2025
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NPCB blindness India causes cataract trachoma strategies netra jyoti components
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National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI)
Overview
The National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB) was launched in 1976 as a 100% Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW). It incorporated the earlier Trachoma Control Programme that had been running since 1963/1968. In 2017, the programme was renamed to the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB&VI), reflecting a broader mandate beyond just blindness prevention.
- Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, p. 497
Definition of Blindness (India)
India updated its definition in 2017 to align with WHO criteria:
- Old (1976) definition: Inability to count fingers from 6 meters (vision 6/60 or less)
- New (2017) definition: Inability to count fingers from 3 meters (aligned with WHO: vision 3/60 or less)
Under the new definition, the estimated blind population dropped from 1.20 crore to ~80 lakh.
Magnitude of the Problem
| Indicator | Data |
|---|---|
| Prevalence (National Survey 2015-19) | 0.36% |
| Target prevalence by 2025 | 0.25% |
| Original prevalence at launch (1976) | 1.4% |
| Total beneficiaries (last 5 years) | 4.34 crore persons |
Causes of Blindness in India (National Survey 2015-19):
| Cause | % |
|---|---|
| Cataract | 66.2% (leading cause) |
| Uncorrected refractive error | ~20% |
| Glaucoma | ~5.5% |
| Posterior segment pathology | ~5.9% |
| Corneal blindness | ~1% |
| Injuries | ~1.2% |
Senile cataract occurs a decade earlier in India compared to Europe and America. There are an estimated 3-4 million persons blind due to corneal opacity.
Funding Structure
| Period | Funding Pattern |
|---|---|
| 1976-2015 | 100% Central Government |
| From 2015-16 (12th Plan onward) | 60:40 (Centre:State) for all States/UTs |
| NE states & hilly states | 90:10 (Centre:State) |
The programme activities are carried out under two components:
- National Health Mission (NHM) component - primary and secondary eye care
- Tertiary Eye Care component - advanced specialized care
Objectives (12th Five Year Plan Period)
-
Continue three signature activities:
- 66 lakh cataract operations per year
- School eye screening + 9 lakh free spectacles per year for refractive errors
- Collection of 50,000 donated eyes per year for keratoplasty
-
Reduce backlog of avoidable blindness through identification and treatment at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels
-
Develop strategy of "Eye Health for All" - comprehensive universal eye care services
-
Strengthen and upgrade Regional Institutes of Ophthalmology (RIOs) as Centres of Excellence in sub-specialties
-
Strengthen infrastructure and develop additional human resources across all districts
-
Enhance community awareness on eye care and preventive measures
-
Expand research for prevention of blindness and visual impairment
-
Secure participation of voluntary organizations/private practitioners
Strategies / Salient Features
- Cataract surgery - Continued free cataract surgery through health systems, NGOs, and private practitioners
- Comprehensive eye care - Beyond cataract: diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, corneal transplantation, vitreo-retinal surgery, childhood blindness
- Active screening - Population above 50 years, screening camps, transport to fixed eye care facilities
- Refractive error management - School children screening; free glasses to those below poverty line
- Public-private partnership - Coverage of underserved areas
- Capacity building - Training health personnel for high-quality eye services
- IEC activities - Information, Education, Communication for community awareness
- Infrastructure upgradation - RIOs and Medical Colleges as Centres of Excellence
- District hospital strengthening - Ophthalmologists and PMOAs (Para Medical Ophthalmic Assistants) on contractual basis
- Vision Centres at PHCs - with PMOA in position for primary eye care
- Multipurpose District Mobile Ophthalmic Units - Better coverage in rural/difficult areas
Organizational Structure
Administration
| Level | Organization |
|---|---|
| Central | Ophthalmology Section, DGHS, MoHFW, New Delhi |
| State | State Ophthalmic Cell, Directorate of Health Services / State Health Societies |
| District | District Blindness Control Society (merged with District Health Societies after NRHM) |
Service Delivery & Referral System
| Level | Facilities |
|---|---|
| Tertiary | Regional Institutes of Ophthalmology (RIOs), Centres of Excellence, Medical Colleges |
| Secondary | District Hospitals, NGO Eye Hospitals |
| Primary | Sub-district hospitals/CHCs, Mobile Ophthalmic Units, Upgraded PHCs, Link Workers/Panchayats |
At present: 80 central mobile units (attached to medical colleges) + 341 district mobile units provide eye care through mobile eye camps. In 2025, 3 new Multipurpose District Mobile Ophthalmic Units were established.
Key Sub-Programmes
1. School Eye Screening Programme
- 6-7% of children aged 10-14 years have eye problems affecting learning
- Trained teachers do initial screening
- Children suspected of refractive error seen by ophthalmic assistants
- Free spectacles given to children from below-poverty-line families
2. Eye Donation / Corneal Transplantation
- Target: 50,000 donated eyes per year
- In 2018-19: 68,409 donated eyes were collected
- Hospital retrieval programme is the major strategy - motivating relatives of terminally ill patients
- IOL (Intra-Ocular Lens) implantation facilities expanded to taluka level
3. Netra Jyoti Abhiyan (2022-2025)
A Mission Mode Cataract Surgery Campaign launched in June 2022 to clear the backlog of cataract cases in persons aged 50 and above:
- Target: 27 lakh cataract surgeries over 3 years (2022-25)
- FY 2022-23: Target was 75 lakh; 83.44 lakh surgeries achieved (exceeded target)
- Major step toward reducing avoidable blindness to 0.25% by 2025
4. Tele-Ophthalmology
Introduced to enhance access to eye care in underserved and remote areas, with collaboration with WHO and DANIDA for training and resource development.
Special Initiatives for North-Eastern & Tribal Areas
Under NPCB&VI, special provisions for NE states/hilly/tribal regions include:
- Assistance for construction of dedicated eye units
- Appointment of contractual ophthalmic manpower (surgeons, assistants, eye donation counsellors)
- Multipurpose district mobile ophthalmic units for difficult/remote areas
- Treatment for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, refractive errors, corneal transplantation, vitreo-retinal surgery, and childhood blindness
Vision 2020 / VISION 2020 - The Right to Sight
India is a signatory to the VISION 2020 - The Right to Sight global initiative, aimed at eliminating avoidable blindness worldwide. The NPCB&VI is India's primary instrument for achieving these goals.
Current Status (2025)
- Over 1,400 NGOs and ~700 hospitals (govt/sub-district/CHCs) empaneled under the programme
- Over 200 private practitioners and 26 private medical colleges involved
- 266 satellite centres and ~38,000 screening camps registered
- Over 600 active District Programme Managers (DPMs)
- Approximately 4.34 crore persons directly benefitted in the last 5 years
Sources: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, pp. 497-498; IMPRI India evaluation; PIB India press release
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