Health authorities urge schools to check for myopia

As schools nationwide have gradually reopened following the stabilization of the domestic novel coronavirus pneumonia epidemic, the National Health Commission has urged schools to ensure sufficient outdoor activities for students and encouraged them to conduct eyesight screening to detect a possible rising prevalence of myopia.

There is growing concern about a worsening trend in eyesight among children and teenagers caused by increased screen time and limited outdoor sports during the peak of the epidemic.

"After an extended and special holiday, schoolchildren have stayed home for quite a long time and their eyesight is likely to be affected," Wang Bin, an official with the commission's disease control and prevention bureau said.

"We encourage schools that have resources to conduct checks on their students' eyesight. We also suggest that parents take their children to hospitals for eyesight tests before restarting lessons at school," she said.

When organizing mass eyesight screening programs on campus, Wang said outdoor spaces or spacious, well-ventilated facilities are preferred. It is also important to disinfect testing equipment regularly, wear face masks and maintain social distancing during checks.

Wei Wenbin, head of Beijing Tongren Hospital's ophthalmology department, said a child who is newly diagnosed with nearsightedness should receive prompt treatment, such as getting a pair of glasses or doing targeted eye exercises. Such timely interventions could help prevent mild myopia from worsening into high or pathological myopia, he said.

In addition, the commission also stressed that schools should guarantee at least two hours of outdoor activities a day for pupils. For students who have been diagnosed as nearsighted, the outdoor hours can be extended.

"It is important to urge children to go outside during recess while making sure that sports activities are rolled out at staggered hours," said Wang, the health commission official.

Boosting exposure to sunshine for children and teenagers is crucial in preventing myopia for those with normal eyesight and reining in deteriorating eyesight of those who are already nearsighted.

However, it is necessary to abide by anti-epidemic measures in public space when exercising outdoors, Wang said.

"Children are asked to avoid close contact and wear masks when interacting with others. Parents should remind their kids to stop touching mouths or noses with hands. When returning home, they should take off their coats and wash their hands immediately," she said.

"With adequate precautions, playing outside will bring enormous benefits for young children."

In China, even before the spread of the virus forced millions of young students to spend more hours on electronic devices and hunker down at home, the prevalence of myopia had been an increasingly alarming issue.

Myopia affects more than 450 million Chinese citizens and increases with age. It is estimated that 30 percent of Chinese primary school pupils are myopic, and the rates are even higher for older students－50 percent for junior high students and 80 percent for those in senior high－the National Health Commission said in June 2018.

According to a plan released by eight government bodies in August 2018, China aims to significantly bring down new cases of myopia and markedly boost eyesight health among children and teenagers by 2030.