Vision problems on the rise in children

Al-Shifa Trust screened approximately 175,000 students over the past year in 550 free eye camps held in underserved areas nationwide. About 50% of the children screened had vision issues, with many experiencing hazy vision and some suffering from congenital cataracts, said Al-Shifa Centre for Community Ophthalmology (ACCO) Deputy General Manager, Dr Hasan Raza.

Speaking to the media, Dr Hasan shared that 50% of the affected children suffered from blurry vision also called convergence insufficiency in which the eye muscles do not work properly, causing one eye to turn outward when focusing on close objects.

Additionally, 30% were found to have myopia, a condition where light focuses in front of the retina, leading to nearsightedness.

Dr Hasan also raised concerns about the high number of children with congenital cataracts, emphasising the importance of early diagnosis and treatment to prevent long-term vision impairment. The children identified with cataracts were referred to Al-Shifa Trust Hospital Rawalpindi.

The free eye camps were held in remote areas of Rawalpindi, Sukkur, Kohat, Muzaffarabad, and Chakwal. Out of the 175,000 students screened, 13,000 were referred to Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital for further treatment. Other common eye problems identified included blepharitis, hyperopia, squints, corneal opacity, traumatic cataracts, astigmatism, and conjunctivitis.

Dr Hasan emphasised that ACCO's primary goal is to organise school screening camps to identify and treat eye diseases early, while also educating children on preventive measures for maintaining eye health.