Early detection stressed at Sight Day event
Source: Chronicle News Service

Senapati, November 25 2024: National Program for Control of Blindness and Visual Impairment (NPCB & VI), Senapati district observed the 25th World Sight Day, 2024 cum school eye screening at Avant Garde Academy on Monday.

The World Sight Day stresses on the importance of protecting one's eyes and vision and promoting awareness of eye health.

The theme for this year is "Love your eyes, Kids" which focuses on the importance of child eye health.

Senapati NPCN & VI district nodal officer Dr Y Jennifer Nane stated that ensuring optimal eye health in children is crucial as early visual development directly impacts learning, social interactions and overall quality of life.

"Diagnosing eye problems early can help minimise potential damage and make treatment faster and more effectively," advised the DNO, while noting that children do not usually report their eye problems that required the immediate attention.

She continued that care givers like parents and teachers need to know some of the symptoms of eye related problems.

"If a child complains of a headache or holding books very close to the face while studying or sits very close to the computer or television or makes lots of spelling mistakes while copying from the blackboard, then, the child needs to be taken to an optometrist or an ophthalmologist for necessary screening," she suggested.

Dr Jennifer also cautioned that excessive screen time has become a significant concern in paediatric eye health contributing to eye strain, myopia, progressive dry eye syndrome, headache and neck pain in children.

She further added that eating a healthy diet rich in vitamin A, like carrot, papaya, pumpkin, green leafy vegetables, antioxidants and Omega fatty acids will keep the eye healthy.

Along with the observance, the team conducted free eye screening for students from class 3 to 7 .

Free spectacles were distributed to all the students diagnosed with refractive errors.

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