New progress in controlling school myopia in Vietnam

Responding to World Sight Day, Vinmec Times City Hospital in collaboration with Alina Eye Hospital officially launched the Vinmec - Alina International Standard Myopia Control Unit, marking an important step forward in school vision care in Vietnam according to international standards.

Myopia in school: a silent danger in every family

"My child is only in third grade but his vision has increased by half a diopter each year," said Thu Ha ( Hanoi ). Despite regular check-ups and frequent glasses changes, his vision is still declining rapidly. "I used to think that wearing glasses was enough, but only later did I learn about the concept of pre-myopia and early myopia control."

Dr. Tran Minh Ha, Director of Vinmec - Alina Myopia Control Unit, consults students and parents.

Ms. Ha's story is a common concern of millions of Vietnamese parents. The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2050, nearly 50% of the global population will be nearsighted, with Vietnam among the fastest growing groups. In Vietnam, a report at the 2024 Conference of the Vietnam Ophthalmological Association said that about 5 million children have refractive errors, of which myopia accounts for the majority. The rate of children with refractive errors can be up to more than 50% in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Experts warn that there is no safe level of nearsightedness. For every 1 diopter increase, the risk of retinal disease or macular degeneration increases. In young children, the pre-myopia stage (less than 0.5 diopters of nearsightedness) is the "golden stage" for intervention, helping to prevent the onset of nearsightedness and limit severe progression. However, most parents still only stop at measuring glasses and changing glasses without accessing a systematic control program.

"Myopia is becoming a worrying health challenge for students," said Dr. Tran Minh Ha, Director of Vinmec - Alina Myopia Control Unit. "Thanks to current medical advances, we can not only adjust glasses to see more clearly, but also detect early, monitor the length of the eyeball axis and actively control myopia progression."

Standardizing the model of controlling myopia in schools in Vietnam

Born from the strategic cooperation between Vinmec and Alina Eye Hospital, Vinmec - Alina Myopia Control Unit was built according to international standards, with professional sponsorship from Fred Hollows Foundation (Australia), TVM Capital Healthcare Investment Fund (Singapore) and Rohto Group (Japan).

Representatives of Vinmec Times City and Alina International Eye Hospital at the announcement ceremony of the establishment of the Vinmec - Alina International Standard Myopia Control Unit.

The highlight of the unit is the comprehensive and personalized control model, applying the treatment regimen of the International Myopia Association (IMI), the International Refractive Ophthalmology Association (WCO) and the Brian Holden Vision Institute (Australia). Here, each child has their own visual profile with indicators such as eyeball axial length, corneal curvature, corneal map and binocular vision. Based on the results, the doctor designs a personalized regimen including many proven effective control methods: Ortho-K glasses worn at night to help temporarily shape the cornea; Soft contact lenses and glasses to control myopia for students; Low-dose Atropine eye drops and red light therapy - a new technology that is widely applied in Japan and Singapore.

Children are monitored periodically every 6-12 months, with detailed reports sent to parents. In addition to treatment, the center also guides students on adjusting their school lifestyle: sitting posture, lighting, outdoor time, etc. to help reduce visual pressure - a key factor in controlling school myopia.

From October 2025, the Vinmec - Alina International Standard Myopia Control Unit officially came into operation at Vinmec Times City Hospital (Hanoi). This is also the unit in Vietnam aiming to build a standard database on eyeball axial length and myopia status in children, as a foundation for future prevention programs and public health policies.

Right in the first phase of launching, more than 32,000 students from 3 to 18 years old in Hanoi and Hung Yen participated in the school vision screening program according to Massachusetts standards (USA) - a large scale in Vietnam.

Children were examined for axial length of the eyeball using AL Scan M technology - a key indicator in monitoring progressive myopia.

Not only stopping at medical activities, the team of experts and doctors of Vinmec - Alina also published the eBook "School Vision Protection Handbook", providing scientific knowledge to parents about early warning signs, reasonable study and rest regimes, the role of natural light and outdoor time.

"Myopia is not only a matter of doctors, but also of schools and families," Dr. Tran Minh Ha emphasized. "When parents and teachers understand correctly and act early, we can protect the eyes and future of the young generation of Vietnam."

Vinmec - Alina Myopia Control Unit applies international standard examination and treatment technology, creating personalized treatment regimens for each child.

The establishment of Vinmec - Alina Myopia Control Unit not only brings advanced medical solutions, but also opens a school vision care ecosystem with international database and standards, aiming at the goal of long-term eye health care.

Alina Eye Hospital was established in 2018, is one of the few units in Vietnam that controls surgical quality according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards, and has performed nearly 10,000 safe and effective cataract surgeries.

Alina Eye Hospital

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/buoc-tien-moi-trong-kiem-soat-can-thi-hoc-duong-tai-viet-nam-169251030144601427.htm