A descriptive community based survey of Atakunmosa West Local Government Area of Osun State was carried out to determine the prevalence and causes of blindness. Using a cluster sampling method at 95% confidence interval, one thousand, two hundred and forty eight (1248) usual inhabitants of the Local Government were thus selected. They had structured questionnaire administered and visual acuity assessment. Persons with visual acuity <3/60 in the better eye (blindness) and <6/18 – 3/60 (visual impairment) were further examined to elicit causes. The data gathered were recorded and analysed using SPSS and statistical significance taken at p<0.05. The prevalence of blindness was 1.1% and that of visual impairment was 6.3%. The prevalence of blindness increased with increasing age occurring more commonly after the age of 60. Although the prevalences of blindness and visual impairment were higher in females, it was not statistically significant (P= 0.70; 0.46). Cataract and its sequelae (couching) were the leading causes of blindness (57.2%). This was followed by glaucoma and congenital childhood blindness accounting for 14.3% of blindness each. Visual impairment was caused mainly by cataract (57.7%), glaucoma (16.7%) and uncorrected refractive error (15.4%). Blindness and visual impairment were avoidable in 85.7% and 94.8% of cases respectively. Fifty percent of the cataract blind had couching; this was practised seven times more than cataract surgery. There was a high prevalence of couching (50%) amongst the cataract blind being practised seven times more than cataract surgery. Qualitative and subsidised cataract and glaucoma surgical services should be made available to these communities. The incorporation of eye health care into the existing primary health care system will also be helpful.