The commonest cause of blindness in India is:

RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2020

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: RUHS, Jaipur, PB B.Sc Nursing Entrance-2020

Explanation

Cataract, the clouding of the eye's natural lens, is the single largest cause of blindness in India.
According to the National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) survey (2015-19), untreated cataracts account for 66.2% of all cases of blindness in the country.
It is a reversible cause of blindness, as vision can be effectively restored through a simple and cost-effective surgical procedure.
The aging population is a major factor contributing to the high prevalence of cataracts.

Option A: While a major cause of visual impairment, uncorrected refractive errors are not the leading cause of blindness in India. Blindness represents a more severe level of vision loss.
Option B: This is a leading cause of preventable childhood blindness (causing xerophthalmia) but is not the most common cause in the overall population, thanks to public health initiatives like Vitamin A supplementation.
Option D: Trachoma is an infectious disease that can lead to blindness, but its prevalence has significantly decreased in India due to improved hygiene and public health programs. It accounts for a very small percentage of blindness cases.

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 are vital in community health screenings (e.g., eye camps) to identify individuals with cataracts and refer them for timely surgery, which is crucial for preventing permanent vision loss.
Post-operative nursing care, including patient education on activity restrictions (avoiding bending, lifting) and proper eye drop administration, is critical to prevent complications like infection or increased intraocular pressure.
What if? If the question asked for the most common cause of irreversible blindness, the answer would be Glaucoma. Cataract-induced blindness is reversible with surgery, whereas damage from glaucoma is permanent.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'commonest cause', 'blindness', and the specific location 'India'.
This is a factual recall question based on public health data and epidemiology.
Evaluate each option's role in causing vision loss.
Recall or deduce the relative prevalence. Cataract is widely known to be the leading cause of blindness in aging populations worldwide, including India.
Differentiate between 'visual impairment' (which includes refractive errors) and 'blindness' (a more severe condition where cataract is dominant).
Eliminate other options based on their specific contexts: Vitamin A deficiency is primarily in children, and Trachoma's prevalence has significantly declined.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart C (pp 404-604 of 604) p. 73-75