Vietnam currently has about 2 million blind and visually impaired people.

Over 80% of blindness cases in Vietnam are preventable and treatable.

"Prioritizing children's eye care" has been chosen by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the theme for this year's World Sight Day.

In observance of World Sight Day (the second Thursday of October), the Central Eye Hospital (Hanoi) calls on the community to raise awareness and join hands with the ophthalmology sector to care for and protect eyesight, especially common eye diseases in children.

According to the Central Eye Hospital, Vietnam currently has approximately 2 million people who are blind or have poor vision. About one-third of them are poor and face difficulties in receiving treatment. More than 80% of blindness in Vietnam is preventable and treatable. Current investigations show that the main causes of blindness are cataracts (accounting for 66.1%), followed by retinal diseases, glaucoma, refractive errors, etc.

Young children need early detection and prevention of refractive errors so they can receive appropriate care and treatment.

By 2030, Vietnam aims to reduce the blindness rate to below 4 people per 1,000 population, including reducing the blindness rate among people over 50 to below 12 people per 1,000 population; achieve a cataract surgery rate of 95%; and ensure that 75% of diabetic patients receive eye examinations and follow-up. For children, the rate of early detection, diagnosis, and provision of refractive services and corrective lenses for refractive errors in schools will exceed 75%. Simultaneously, the eye care service network will be strengthened and improved, ensuring equal access for all groups (children, women, the elderly, and people with disabilities).

Approximately 3 million children have refractive errors.

Dr. Nguyen Hoang Cuong from the Central Eye Hospital stated that the development of modern ophthalmology technology has made early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of eye diseases increasingly effective. He also noted that eye diseases are becoming more diverse and complex, especially those affecting children: refractive errors, amblyopia, and congenital conditions such as retinal tumors, strabismus, ptosis, congenital cataracts, and retinopathy of prematurity…

According to the Central Eye Hospital, refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism) are becoming increasingly common among teenagers, with prevalence rates of approximately 15-20% in rural areas and 30-40% in urban areas. Specifically for children aged 6-15 (the age group requiring priority corrective lenses), there are nearly 15 million children nationwide. With a prevalence rate of approximately 20%, it is estimated that 3 million children in Vietnam have refractive errors requiring corrective lenses, of which up to two-thirds are myopic.

According to Dr. Nguyen Hoang Cuong, refractive errors cause difficulties in learning and daily life. Because they cannot see clearly, children also struggle to understand lessons and absorb knowledge, potentially leading to a decline in academic performance. If left untreated, it can cause lazy eye disease, leading to vision loss and becoming difficult to treat. Examining and providing glasses for children with refractive errors is one of the most cost-effective yet highly effective interventions to reduce the rate of blindness.

"Controlling the causes of blindness in children requires special attention to congenital cataracts, refractive errors, retinopathy of prematurity, and subclinical vitamin A deficiency," Dr. Nguyen Hoang Cuong further shared.

Globally, there are approximately 314 million people who are blind or have low vision, including about 45 million who are completely blind, with those over 50 years old accounting for 80%. Every 5 seconds, one person becomes blind, and every minute, one child becomes blind. 90% of blind people live in poor and developing countries with limited access to healthcare (Vietnam is among these countries). 80% of the causes of blindness are treatable or preventable.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/viet-nam-hien-co-khoang-2-trieu-nguoi-mu-va-thi-luc-kem-18524101220413385.htm