Nepal’s Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness reveals progress in combating avoidable vision impairment
New research published demonstrates Nepal’s continued success in reducing blindness prevalence, though significant challenges remain.
A comprehensive national survey examining vision impairment among people aged 50 years and older in Nepal has found that over 1 million individuals experience sight loss, with over 60 thousand people affected by blindness. The study represents the first nationally representative assessment since 1981 and provides crucial data for the country’s eye health planning.
Key Findings:
- Massive survey effort across seven provinces: The research team conducted seven provincial-level RAAB surveys between 2018 and 2021, examining 32,565 participants and achieving an impressive 98% response rate.
- Gender and Regional Disparities persist: The study revealed that blindness prevalence was higher among women (1.3%) compared to men (0.9%), a pattern consistent with other surveys across South Asia. Regional variations were significant, with Lumbini province showing the highest blindness prevalence at 1.8%.
- Cataract remains the leading cause, but significant progress in management is underway: Cataract was identified as the leading cause of blindness, severe vision impairment, and moderate vision impairment, accounting for 65.2%. 83.9%, and 66.8% respectively. However, the findings also show encouraging progress; the prevalence of blindness decreased to 1.05% from 2.5% compared to the 2010 nationwide RAAB survey.
- Other significant causes identified: Refractive error was found to be the cause of 66.5% of mild vision impairment. Non-trachomatous corneal opacity accounted for 6.5% of bilateral blindness.
This comprehensive survey provides essential data for Nepal’s eye health planning and contributes to monitoring progress towards achieving the World Health Assembly’s 2030 targets for eye health.
Reference:
Mishra SK, Gogate P, Sapkota YD, Gurung R, Shrestha MK, et al. Prevalence and causes of blindness and vision impairment among people 50 years and older in Nepal: A national Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness survey. PLOS ONE. February 2025.
