00:00Two eye care specialists have urged the education ministry to prioritise eye health in primary
00:06schools to reduce myopia, also known as short-sightedness, among children.
00:11Association of Malaysian Optometrists Vice President Dr S Satya Prakash said physical
00:16education plays a crucial role in reducing myopia, and the ministry should look into
00:21extending the period of outdoor activities in schools.
00:25He said schools should also promote practical strategies like the 20-20-20 rule, which calls
00:31for a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away for every 20 minutes of doing
00:36close-up work.
00:38On January 16, Health Minister Zulkifli Ahmad said visual acuity problems remain a major
00:43concern among year one pupils, particularly in Puja Jaya, which increased from 215 in
00:502022 to 239 in 2023.
00:54Dr Nur Azhar Abdulrahman, a paediatrics ophthalmologist at Subang Jaya Medical Centre, shared a similar
01:00view, saying teachers play a vital role in reducing myopia among school children.
01:06She said besides educating children regarding eye health, the government should allocate
01:11funding to train teachers to identify and detect children's vision issues for early
01:16treatment.
01:17Nur Azhar also dismissed that myopia in children is related to malnourishment, saying it was
01:22more likely due to lifestyle problems and genetics.
01:27Pan Yujo, FMT News.
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