NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR CONTROL OF BLINDNES (NPCB)
Organogram of NPCB
• Mission Director
• State Programme officer (Joint Director, Ophthalmology)
• District Programme officer (DPM)
Introduction
NPCB was launched in the year 1976 throughout the country with
the aim of bringing down the prevalence of blindness to 0.3% by
2020.
It has succeeded in lowering the prevalence of blindness to 1% in
Karnataka as per the Rapid Survey conducted during 2006-07 by
Govt. of India.
Components
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Cataract surgeries
Other eye diseases
School Eye Screening: distribution of spectacles
Distribution of spectacles to old age persons (Presbyopia)
Eye ball collection
Development of Vision Centre
Interventions in other Eye Diseases
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Diabetic Retinopathy & Laser treatment,
Glaucoma diagnosis & management,
Corneal Transplantation,
Vitreo Retinal Surgery,
Treatment of Childhood Blindness etc.,
The patient affected with any of the above eye diseases will be
treated in and NGO hospitals who have MoU with government under
NPCB.
Cataract Surgeries
Cataract is the major cause of Blindness. 99% of the Cataract
surgeries are IOL inserted surgeries.
The patient affected with cataract are treated free of cost in Govt.
hospitals and NGO hospitals who have MoU with NPCB.
Cataract camps are being conducted on regular basis throughout the state
in both the government and voluntary Sector.
Eye ball collection
Blindness due to Corneal opacity can be restored through corneal
transplantation (Keratoplasty) from corneas collected (eye ball) by
eye banks registered under Human Organs Transplantation Act
(HOTA).
Incentives are given to all the eye banks registered under HOTA for
collecting eye balls in order to increase the cornea collection.
School Eye screening programme
1. To detect refractive errors in school children, teachers are
trained in primary eye screening.
2. Identified children with difficulties in reading are screened.
3. Children with refractive errors are provided free spectacles.
4. Children with squint eyes and other eye diseases are referred
to tertiary eye care centers Govt. hospitals (Districthospitals/
medical colleges/Regional Institute of Ophthalmology)
Development of Vision Centre
1. Established in PHCs where para medical ophthalmic assistant
is in place.
2. 170 Vision Centres are functioning.
3. They are provided basic ophthalmic equipment.
4. Glaucoma, Cataract, Refractive error and other eye diseases are
detected.
5. 30 more Vision centres will be identified in 2014-15.
Spectacle for Near work to old person
1. Free Spectacles old person for near work for the age group of
45 years and above for presbyopic correction in Govt. hospitals.