Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness in Alipurduar District, West Bengal

Visual impairment is a global public health problem. Global vision impairment data suggests that at least 2.2 billion people are estimated to live with a vision impairment. Of these, 237 million people are thought to have moderate or severe distance vision impairment in 2020. Out of them about 55% are women and 89% of population live in low- and middle-income countries.

The Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) is a standardised survey methodology, designed to measure the magnitude and causes of visual impairment and the extent to which services are reaching different groups of people. The RAAB focuses on people aged over 50 years because the majority of blindness and visual impairment is found in this age group.

With support from Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiatives, Sightsavers is strengthening eye care services in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal State in Eastern India. The objective of the five-year project was to contribute to the elimination of avoidable blindness in the area. In August, 2021 we conducted a RAAB in Alipurduar district of West Bengal to assess the prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment.