Assessment of quality of life, mental health and ocular morbidity in children from schools for the blind in North-East India.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe causes of severe visual impairment and blindness (SVI/BL), and assess the mental health and quality of life of children in schools for the blind in North-East India in two phases.

Methods: A total of 515 children were examined in 17 schools for the blind in the first phase of study across eight states in North-East India, 6 in Assam, 2 each in Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura, 1 each in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, and Sikkim. WHO/PBL eye examination record was used to document findings.