Visual impairment
Person with low vision – A person with impairment of visual functioning even after treatment or standard refractive correction but who uses or is potentially capable of using vision for the planning or execution of a task with appropriate assistive device.
Blindness – A condition where a person suffers from any of the following conditions namely:
i) total absence of sight or
ii) visual acuity not exceeding 6/60 or 20/200 (snellen) in the better eye with correcting lenses;or
iii) limitation of the field vision subtending anangle of 20 degree or worse.
AT Home
Visual Impairment
1. The child does not follow an object moving before his eyes by 1 month’s age.
2. The child does not reach for toys and things held in front of him by 3 months age.
3. One eye moves differently from the other; including squint
4. Eyes are either red or have a yellow discharge or the tears flow continuously.
5. The child has tendency to bring pictures or books very near the eyes.
VISUAL IMPAIRMENT CATEGORIES
(All with corrections)
| Better Eye | Worse Eye | Percentage impairment | ||
| Category O Category I | Mild | 6/9 to 6/18 6/24 to 6/36 | 6/18 to 6/36 6/60 to Nil | 20% 40% |
| Category II | Moderate | 6/60 to 4/60 or Field of Vision 10-20. | 3/60 to Nil | 75% |
| Category III | Severe | 3/60 to 1/60 or Field of Vision 10 degree | F.C. at 1 ft. to Nil. | 100% |
| Category IV or One Eyed Persons | Profound | F.C. at 1 ft. to Nil.Field of Vision 10 6/6 | F.c. at 1 ft. to Nil. Field of Vision100. F.C. at 1 ft. to Nil. | 100% 30% |
Low Vision: Impairment of vision less tha n 6/18 to 6/60 with best correction in better eyes or impairment of field in any one of the following categories:
a) reducation of fields less than 50 degree
b) heminaopia with macular involvement
c) altitudinal defect involving lower fields
IF THE CHILD IS BLIND OR HAS A LOW VISION, CONTACT:
Ophthalmologist – – Available at block, district, State hospital for assessment, Assessment can be done at Eye Camps, etc. also.
Organizations for education – Formal schools, Open School
– Special school for blind children,
– Non- Governmental Organisations working in the field of blindness.
Organizations for providing – Field: Sub-health Centre, Primary Health Center,
aids and appliances Gram Panchayat, Rehabilitation centre if available,NGOs working in the field of disability.
Block : Block Welfare Officer
District: District Welfare Officer
Students: in schools
Note: Impairment of 20% to 40% or less may only be entitled to aids and appliances.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT–
1. Director
National Institute for Visually Handicapped
116, Rajpur Road
Dehradun- 248001.
Ph: 0135-24491/24578.
(a) Regional Centre
National Institute for Visually Handicapped
Poonamalle
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Ph: 044- 572505.
2. National Association for the Blind,
Sector V, R.K.Puram,
New Delhi –110 022
(has preparatory school for 4-14 year and has branches in states also)