The National Programme for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCBVI) in India defines blindness as visual acuity less than:

• A 6/60 in the better eye with best correction
• B 6/18 in the better eye with best correction
• C 1/60 (counting fingers at 1 metre) in the better eye
• D 3/60 (counting fingers at 3 metres) in the better eye ✓

Explanation

India's NPCBVI adopts the WHO definition of blindness as presenting visual acuity less than 3/60 (approximately 20/400) in the better eye. The WHO categories define blindness as visual acuity <3/60 or visual field <10 degrees around fixation in the better eye. The less strict category of visual impairment (<6/18) is the threshold for low vision. Understanding the NPCBVI definition (3/60 in better eye) is important for Indian public health examinations as it differs from the legal blindness definition used in some other countries (6/60).

Reference: Khurana Comprehensive Ophthalmology, 7th ed.

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Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.