Representational image
Doha, Qatar: The Ministry of Public Health announced the results of the annual comprehensive survey conducted to examine the acuity of school students during the academic year 2022-2023.
The Ministry explained that the survey showed that 10% of school students have acute impairment (less than 6/6), compared to 14% during the academic year 2021-2022.
The Ministry noted that the survey highlighted a vital aspect of children's health by examining the acuity of the eyesight, emphasizing the important progress towards creating a stronger health future for students in Qatar.
Sheikh Dr Mohammed Bin Hamad Al Thani, the Director of the Department of Non-Communicable Diseases Preventive Programs at the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), said that the survey was conducted on 99,370 students from 330 government and private schools in the State of Qatar, confirming the cooperation between the Ministries of Public Health and Education and Higher Education in conducting the survey, which serves as an integrated study
Dr. Mohammed Al Thani reaffirmed the commitment of the Ministry of Public Health to prioritize children's eye health and to integrate the results of the survey into the National Health Strategy and the Public Health Strategy, in the framework of joint cooperation between health and education institutions and parents in order to maintain sight for future generations.
The survey aims to avoid vision impairment and eye laziness and to detect this health problem early. These efforts are part of a public health strategy that aims to maintain students' eye health and provide a supportive healthy environment in the school community.
Eye laziness is one of the most important complications of vision impairment in children, as it results from an imbalance in the growth of the visual system in one eye and may negatively affect the child's academic performance and ability to learn. It is therefore recommended that periodic eye exam be conducted and that ophthalmologists' directives and the use of corrective glasses.
