The National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey of India (2015 to 2019) estimated the prevalence of blindness and identified its leading cause. These were respectively:
- A 0.36 percent, with glaucoma as the leading cause
- B 1.1 percent, with refractive errors as the leading cause
- C 0.36 percent, with cataract accounting for about two thirds of blindness ✓
- D 0.84 percent, with corneal opacity as the leading cause
Correct answer: C. 0.36 percent, with cataract accounting for about two thirds of blindness
Explanation
The Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness based National Survey (2015 to 2019) estimated blindness prevalence at 0.36 percent and moderate to severe visual impairment at 2.55 percent. Cataract was responsible for approximately 66 percent of blindness, followed by corneal opacity and then glaucoma. Glaucoma is an important cause but ranks well below cataract, which kills distractor A. Refractive errors are the leading cause of visual impairment, not of blindness.
Reference: NPCBVI Operational Guidelines, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.