Indifference and apathy to the differently abled group brought extreme angst to me and so I delved into the world of information through a few books and the Internet. The revelations were tragic and pitiful. However, I found many great feats accomplished by these visually challenged which would have tested even the most talented of the visually blessed.

In the language of Ophthalmology, blindness is defined as visual acuity of less than 6/60 or a corresponding visual field loss to less than 10 degrees in the better eye with best possible correction.

Studies reveal that India shoulders the world's largest burden of blindness. There are around 15 million people in the country who are blind, and another 52 million are visually impaired. Of them 3, 20,000 are children below 16 years and constitute one-fifth of the world's blind children.

What is surprising is that 50% of these children could be cured if proper treatment, facilities and trained staff

were available, says ORBIS, an international organization, which has been contributing significantly to the

treatment of childhood blindness in India as well. By 2010, ORBIS plans to develop 50 paediatric ophthalmology centres across the country.

In order to reduce the incidence of childhood blindness, it is necessary to improve maternal and child health services, particularly immunization, better nutrition and the control of diarrhea. Incidence of visual handicap is reported to be high among lower socio-economic strata due to suffering from malnutrition and ill health, lack of resources and proper knowledge of preventive health.

Further, there is also an equivalent need of developing specialized pediatric ophthalmic services for the management of surgically correctable conditions, particularly cataract, and to provide low vision services for severely visually impaired children.

Apart from successfully treating the blindness, the other major problem is the rehabilitation of the visually handicapped children in the society. The whole point is to make them self-reliant and independent in life like the visually abled. Several factors like the child’s background, adjustment pattern, aspiration level, social competency, academic achievement, etc. play equal roles in the success of rehabilitation

Of all, the idea of developing social competency in the visually handicapped children is gaining significant importance in the recent years. Daily living activities, spatial orientation and mobility, interpersonal communication, problem-solving skills are the aspects included in it. Social competence could be developed in the child through an efficient use of the remaining senses.

For example, if a child is unaware of a small precaution in making and serving tea to a visitor, the situation following may be very embarrassing for both. Thus, it is not just enough to teach a few skills and techniques but attempt must be made to prepare the child to function skillfully and in accordance with the norms of the society.