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Background
Conducted between 2000-2002 the Bangladesh Childhood Blindness Project was an extensive collaborative field research project undertaken by a group of ophthalmologists, eye care workers, social workers, experienced eye care program planners and civil society members.
An initiative of the International Centre for Eye Health (ICEH), London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine this project involved extensive research in all 64 districts of Bangladesh. Through this process the research team developed an extensive network of organisations and individuals concerned with blind children and in 2002 established CSF Global (originally the Child Sight Foundation, Bangladesh) to support ongoing work to control childhood blindness.
Aim
To define the burden and etiology of childhood blindness and assist a rational planning process to control childhood blindness in Bangladesh.
Outputs
The following major research studies were undertaken as part of the Bangladesh Childhood Blindness Project:
- The Bangladesh National Study on Childhood Blindness 2002.
- Prospective study of outcome of cataract surgery in children.
- A qualitative study on children with blindness and vision related disability in Bangladesh.
- A study to assess the impact of blindness and sight restoring surgery in children in terms of neurodevelopment using Raynell-Zinkin Scale for developmental assessment.
- Development of a novel method to identify blind children from the communities and households: The Key Informant Method.
- A study to assess the Functional Vision in Children before and after sight restoring surgery.
- A situation analysis of paediatric eye care services in Bangladesh.
- A situation analysis of educational facilities for children with blindness and vision related disability in Bangladesh.
- A situation analysis of rehabilitation facilities for children with blindness and vision related disability in Bangladesh.
Achievements
CBPB provided services to blind children throughout Bangladesh:
- Over 1,200 sight-restoring surgeries were performed
- Over 800 children received sight restoring cataract surgery.
- Over 2,000 blind children were identified and examined by the CBPB ophthalmologist, over 40% were found to be blind fro congenital cataract).
- Over 600 children were advised and referred for sight restoring cataract surgery completely free of cost.
- Over 700 children who had been operated for cataract were re-traced and re-examined after one year of surgery to assess the outcome.