NEW DELHI: Corneal blindness, once considered a condition largely confined to the elderly, is now emerging as a significant threat among teenagers and young adults across the country, health experts said on Monday.
Corneal blindness, while serious, is a largely preventable cause of blindness. It occurs when the transparent front part of the eye, the cornea, becomes cloudy or scarred due to infections, trauma, or nutritional deficiencies.
Corneal opacities are now the second leading cause of blindness in India, affecting tens of thousands annually.
According to experts at the Indian Society of Cornea and Kerato-Refractive Surgeons’ (ISCKRS) three-day meet in New Delhi, India, records between 20, 000 and 25, 000 new cases of corneal blindness every year, and the number is growing.
“A large number of fresh corneal blindness cases in India are now being seen in individuals under the age of 30 years. We are witnessing a dangerous shift. Young people are losing their vision due to entirely avoidable conditions, ” said Prof. Rajesh Sinha, Professor of Ophthalmology at AIIMS, New Delhi.
“Simple infections, untreated injuries, and lack of awareness are turning into permanent visual disabilities, ” he added.
At the event, the expert panel highlighted factors such as trauma-related injuries, particularly among youth engaged in agriculture, manual labour, or industrial work, behind this disturbing rise.