Rapid survey for assessing effective cataract surgical coverage (eCSC) and effective refractive error coverage (eREC)-Novel indicators of universal eye health.

Purpose: As per the recent World Health Organization estimates, approximately 2.2 billion people have near and distance vision impairment (VI) globally, and out of this almost 50% is avoidable.

Methods: The Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Visual Impairment survey was a cross-sectional study conducted in September 2021, using cluster random sampling in 42 clusters with a cluster size of 140, giving a total of 6000 participants.

Guidelines for setting up low-vision and rehabilitation services in India.

Low vision and blindness are increasing public health issues impacting individuals' quality of life. During clinical low-vision services, vision rehabilitation is crucial for enhancing daily living skills and improving life quality. Low-vision and rehabilitation (LVR) services encompass comprehensive measures that aid visually disabled individuals in restoring function, autonomy, and social participation.

Effective cataract surgical coverage in India: Evidence from 31 districts.

Background: Effective Cataract Surgical Coverage (eCSC) is a core outcomes domain indicator to assess accessibility and quality of eye care services with limited available information.

Purpose: To generate baseline estimates of eCSC for India.

Methods: We performed the analysis of data pooled from Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness surveys conducted in 31 districts of India during 2015-2019 among persons aged 50+ years.

Vaccination coverage against COVID-19 among rural population in Haryana, India: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Conducting a study in rural pre-dominant areas will help to understand the penetration of the vaccination campaign during the COVID-19 health crisis. This study aimed to investigate vaccination coverage against COVID-19 among the rural adult population in India and to identify factors associated with vaccination coverage.

Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted among the rural population in one district of north India from January to February 2023.

Identifying causes of vision loss and assistive technology needs among patients attending rehabilitation clinic of a tertiary care center in North India.

Purpose: Investigating the causes of visual loss and the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) is crucial for identifying avoidable eye problems and planning appropriate rehabilitation and assistive technology (AT) services. The study aimed to identify various causes of vision loss and determine AT required for vision rehabilitation (VR).

Methods: The electronic records of patients who attended the VR clinic at a tertiary eyecare for the past 2 years were reviewed.

Assistive technology usage, unmet needs and barriers to access: a sub-population-based study in India.

Background: Assistive technology (AT) is essential to minimize functional limitations. The current study aimed to estimate the prevalence of needs, met and unmet needs for AT, and barriers to accessing AT among a subnational population in India.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in eight districts, representing four zones of India, using the WHO Rapid Assistive Technology Assessment (rATA) tool.

Current Status of Trachoma Among Underserved Population of India: Results from the National Trachoma Rapid Assessment Survey 2014-17.

Purpose: To determine the burden of trachoma and its related risk factors among the underserved population of sixteen states/union territories (UTs) in India.

Methods: Trachoma rapid assessment (TRA) was conducted in seventeen Enumeration Units (EUs) spanning sixteen states/UTs in India according to standard WHO guidelines. A total of ten clusters were selected in each EU and 50 children aged 1-9 years were assessed clinically for signs of active trachoma and facial cleanliness in each cluster.

Assistive technology: The current perspective in India.

The world, today, recognizes the increasing importance of assistive technology (AT) that can reduce the functional limitations of persons with disabilities, individuals with chronic debilitating diseases, and elders. This indicates that at some point, everyone, either temporary or permanent, will require AT to improve their physical and functional abilities, thus contributing to independent living, social inclusion, and education. Besides this, the need for AT will be growing with a majority from low-middle-income countries.

Improving assistive technology access to students with low vision and blindness in Delhi: A school-based model.

Purpose: Assistive technology (AT) has recently received considerable attention around the world. Studies have shown poor access to assistive technology for visual impairment (ATVI) in schools for the blind in India. The present article aimed at designing a school-based model to improve AT access in schools and provide hands-on training, and identify types of ocular morbidities present among students.

Prevalence and causes of low vision in a population-based study on childhood visual impairment in North India (CHVI 4).

Purpose: The present study was a population-based study to determine the prevalence and causes of low vision in children less than 16 years in North India.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 40 clusters of urban Delhi. Children aged less than 16 years underwent visual acuity screening using age-appropriate visual acuity charts.

A Comprehensive Assessment of Self-Reported Post COVID-19 Symptoms Among Beneficiaries of Hospital Employee Scheme at a Tertiary Healthcare Institution in Northern India.

Purpose: With millions of people being affected by COVID-19, people living with post COVID-19 clinical symptoms (PCS) are expected to rise further. The primary aim of the study was to comprehensively assess self-reported PCS and its associated risk factors among beneficiaries of Hospital Employee Scheme of a tertiary healthcare institution in Delhi.

Patients And Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire developed by employing nominal group technique among individuals aged 18 years and above who were novel SARS-CoV-2 positive from January to April 2021.

Effect of integrated people-centred eye care (IPEC) model on eye care seeking behaviour of community.

Background: World report on vision makes integrated people-centered eye care as care model of choice. Integrating eye care with the existing public health system makes services available, accessible, affordable, and sustainable. Being from the community, Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) are better suited to improve people's eye health-seeking behavior.

Current status of trachoma in India: Results from the National Trachoma Prevalence Survey.

Purpose: In the mid-twentieth century, trachoma was endemic in the northwestern states of India. We aimed to generate recent estimates of prevalence of trachomatous inflammation, follicular (TF) and trachomatous trichiasis (TT) in ten suspected-endemic districts across seven previously hyper-endemic states and union territories for trachoma in India including Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat, Uttarakhand and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Methods: Population-based prevalence surveys were undertaken in 10 districts.

Challenges and Enablers for Smartphone Use by Persons With Vision Loss During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Report of Two Case Studies.

Purpose: Studies have reported that knowledge and skills to operate smartphones among people with profound visual loss are limited especially in low- to middle-income countries as many important functions of smartphones are unknown to them. This report presents smartphone use, its challenges, and enablers in two persons with profound visual impairment while executing their daily routine and instrumental living activities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Case Selection And Interview: During the lockdown period, we provided tele (vision) rehabilitation service.

Blindness and visual impairment and their causes in India: Results of a nationally representative survey.

Introduction: Avoidable blindness is a significant public health problem in India. Nationally representative RAAB surveys (Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness) are being conducted periodically in the country to know the current status of blindness in the country. The current study describes the findings from the RAAB survey conducted during 2015-19 in India.

Smartphone: A smart assistive device for people visual disabilities among COVID-19 pandemic.

Smartphones are becoming one of the most indispensable gadgets for everyone in today's digital world, with the continued incorporation of computer technology. For the past few years, the interaction between human and smartphone content has been improved significantly with innovative technologies using gestures, haptic, and sound instead of visual-based interaction. Such technologies are in the form of built-in features and accessible apps.

Vision Delhi: A study of primary eye care model operational in urban slums and resettlement colonies of Delhi.

Background: Family physicians (FPs) encounter numerous patients who need eye care services. For providing eye care services at the primary level, they need to be abreast with the common disorders, their management and appropriate referral.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the socio-demographic and ocular morbidity profile of the beneficiaries, seasonal pattern of few ocular disorders and to find the proportion of blindness that is avoidable at the primary level.

Diabetic retinopathy screening in the public sector in India: What is needed?

India has been witnessing an epidemic of diabetes for several years now. A large proportion of patients with undiagnosed and poorly controlled diabetes are at great risk of developing diabetic retinopathy (DR) and irreversible blindness. The goal of DR screening is to identify people with sight-threatening DR early so that prompt treatment can be initiated, and blindness can be prevented.

A study to assess the knowledge and skills of Accredited Social Health Activists and its retention after training in community-based primary eye care.

Purpose: Community volunteers like Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) could be utilized for linking community and eye care services. Research is needed to effectively utilize them. This study was to assess whether ASHAs could imbibe new knowledge in eye care and conduct vision screening.

Smartphones-Based Assistive Technology: Accessibility Features and Apps for People with Visual Impairment, and its Usage, Challenges, and Usability Testing.

Smartphones are less likely to be considered as assistive technology for visual impairment among a large majority of health care providers, excluding vision rehabilitation professionals, and the general public who are not familiar with accessible features and apps. The present review aims to highlight accessible features and apps along with usages, including educational, and access to smartphones as assistive technology for visual impairment and blindness. It also includes advantages and challenges faced by users, and usability testing by app developers.

Prevalence of diabetic retinopahty in India: Results from the National Survey 2015-19.

Purpose: Diabetes mellitus (DM) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) contribute to ocular morbidity and are emerging as diseases with significant public health impact. Our aim was to assess the countrywide prevalence of DR and sight-threatening DR (STDR) among persons with diabetes and to evaluate the coverage of DR examinations among them.

Methods: The present survey was planned to estimate the burden of DR in the population aged ≥50 years for assisting in the planning and prioritization of diabetic eye services.

A population-based study on the prevalence and causes of childhood blindness and visual impairment in North India.

Purpose: This was a population-based study to determine the prevalence and causes of visual impairment in children less than 16 years in Urban North India.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 40 clusters of urban Delhi. 20,955 children aged less than 16 years underwent visual acuity screening using age-appropriate visual acuity charts.