Strengthening the prevention and control of myopia in children and adolescents is a “bright project” that the central government is concerned about, the masses are concerned about and the society is concerned about. Statistics from the National Health Commission show that myopia is most common in children and adolescents.
June 6 is the “National Eye Care Day”. What are the results and difficulties in the prevention and control of myopia in primary and secondary schools? What are some tips for preventing ” childrens eyeglasses“?
Refractive screening can be done for children with myopia at a young age of 6 months after birth
According to the results of the national survey on myopia of children and adolescents conducted by the Ministry of Education and the National Health Commission, in 2018, the overall myopia rate of children and adolescents in the country was 53.6%, that of 6-year-old children was 14.5%, that of primary school students was 36%, that of junior middle school students was 71.6%, and that of senior high school students had reached 81%. In 2019, the overall myopia rate of children and adolescents in the country was 50.2%, affected by the epidemic, and there was a slight increase in 2020 compared with 2019.
Medical staff guide students to do eye exercises at Zigui Experimental Primary School in Yichang, central China’s Hubei province, June 4, 2019. June 6 this year is the 26th National Eye Care Day, and schools around the country held a variety of activities to guide children to develop the habit of loving eyes from childhood.
“Children’s myopia shows a trend of younger age, and the incidence is also rising, among which children in the third and fourth grade of primary school have more myopia.” Once myopia appears, it is irreversible, and the pathological changes caused by high myopia have an irreversible impact on visual function.” Li Li, director of the ophthalmology department of Beijing Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, believes that the prevention and control of myopia should start from an early age.
She explained that the axis of the eyes of normal adults is 23.5 to 24 mm, and the axis of the eyes of newborn infants is very short, only about 16 mm, in a state of physiological hyperopia, which is the hyperopia reserve. As the eyeball grows, the length of the axis of the eye increases, and farsightedness gradually decreases to orthometropia. If the axis of the eye continues to grow, it becomes myopia. “Preschoolers are in the physiological hyperopia phase. When you go to school and your eyes grow stronger, you are prone to myopia.
Is there a perfect time to control “small glasses”? Experts suggest that attention should be paid to it from birth. Children whose parents are highly myopic should pay more attention to them, and refractive screening can be done at 6 months of birth and reviewed every six months. After going to school to have a correct reading and writing posture, reading and writing and holding the pen posture are very important, long-term tilt of the head will lead to one eye vision decline more obvious. In class, the teacher teaches for 20 minutes, and the students can overlook for 20 seconds.
