Commonest cause of blindness in India is:

NORCERT 8 Mains-2025

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NORCERT 8 Mains-2025

Explanation

Cataract is the single largest cause of blindness in India, accounting for the majority of cases.
Data from the National Survey on Blindness (2015-19) confirms that untreated cataracts are responsible for 66.2% of blindness in the country.
A cataract involves the clouding of the natural crystalline lens of the eye, which obstructs the passage of light.
It is considered an 'avoidable' cause of blindness because vision can be effectively restored through a common surgical procedure.

Option A: While a significant issue, Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of preventable blindness specifically in children (keratomalacia), not the most common cause across the entire Indian population.
Option C: Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, but its overall prevalence (around 5.5%) is much lower than that of cataracts.
Option D: Uncorrected refractive errors are a leading cause of visual impairment and the second most common cause of blindness globally, but they are responsible for a smaller percentage of blindness cases in India compared to cataracts.

Visual 1: Infographic - A pie chart illustrating the percentage breakdown of the causes of blindness in India, with the largest segment (66.2%) labeled 'Cataract'.
Visual 2: Diagram - A side-by-side comparison showing a cross-section of a healthy eye with a clear lens versus an eye with a cataract, illustrating the clouded, opaque lens.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Epidemiology of blindness in India as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a crucial role in the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) by identifying suspected cases of cataract during community health screenings and referring them for treatment.
Health education provided by nurses is vital in dispelling myths about cataract surgery and encouraging patients to seek timely treatment, especially in rural areas where access to care may be limited.
Post-operative care for cataract surgery is a key nursing responsibility, involving patient teaching on eye drop instillation, hygiene, and recognizing signs of complications to prevent post-surgical infections.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question: it asks for the 'commonest cause' of 'blindness' specifically in 'India'. This is a factual recall question based on epidemiology.
Scan the options: Vitamin A deficiency, Cataract, Glaucoma, and Refractive error are all known causes of vision loss.
Recall or deduce the most prevalent condition based on national health data. Remember that 'commonest' refers to the highest number of cases across the entire population.
Differentiate between causes of blindness versus causes of visual impairment, and causes in the general population versus specific subgroups (like children).
Select the option that accounts for the largest percentage of blindness cases in India, which is Cataract, as confirmed by national surveys.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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