Despite many challenges, India needs to formulate evidence-based AT policy, planning within the purview of the healthcare delivery system in collaboration with various government and nongovernment sectors, including industries. This article explores the need, access, and potential challenges associated with AT services in India. Finally, we discussed various initiatives on AT in the country and possible recommendations to improve AT services across.
This article presents research into the use of subjective (quality of life) as well as objective criteria to classify visual disability. When both subjective and objective criteria were used, instead of just the commonly accepted objective criteria, visual disability could be objectively reclassified
Visual disability in India is categorised based on severity, and sometimes the disabled person does not fit unambiguously into any of the categories. This study aimed to identify and quantify disability that does not fit in the current classification, and propose a new classification that includes all levels of vision. The research team found that around 10% of patients did not fall within did not fall within any of the existing categories, forcing the disability board to use its own judgement, and resulting in a tenancy to over-garde the disability. The authors propose a classification based on the national program in India for control of blindness' definition of normal vision (20/20 to 20/60), low vision ( < 20/60 to 20/200), economic blindness ( < 20/200 to 20/400) and social blindness ( < 20/400). It ranges from the mildest disability (normal vision in one eye, low vision in the other) up to the most severe grade (social blindness in both eyes). The article concludes by acknowledging that the current classification of visual disabilities does not include all combinations of vision; some disabled patients cannot be categorised. The classification proposed by the authors is comprehensive, progresses logically, and follows the definitions of the national India program
