Programme Overview
The CUHK Jockey Club Myopia Prevention Programme is a three-year children’s eye care programme. It is also a new phase of the CUHK Hong Kong Children Eye Care Programme from 2015 to 2017 and the CUHK Jockey Club Children’s Eye Care Programme from 2018 to 2021.
Children’s visual health is usually neglected due to a lack of resources and awareness of children’s eye health. Eye diseases affect the quality of life and can lead to irreversible vision impairments, such as blindness. Early detection and proper treatment allow children’s visual health to be protected, and certain complications can be prevented.
The CUHK Jockey Club Myopia Prevention Programme was launched in October 2021 to provide free and comprehensive eye examination for children of ethnic minorities, with special educational needs and from low-income families. The Programme was initiated by the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). With the donation of HK$28.77 million from the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and the generous support from various sectors, including ophthalmologists, medical teams, schools, non-government organizations and volunteer teams, the Programme has been conducted smoothly to contribute to a brighter future for the next generation in Hong Kong.
Missions
The Programme is committed to providing eye care services to 15,000 children and their families in three years. Children of ethnic minorities, with special educational needs and from low-income families are the service targets under this Programme. It is hoped that through eye check-up, health education and research, the children’s eye health can be improved and bring about changes across the community.
Vision
- To advocate a vision-friendly lifestyle to children and raise the public awareness on children’s eye health
- To control myopic progression in children and prevent the development of myopia-related complications
- To demonstrate the provision of eye care service to children of ethnic minorities, with special educational needs and from low-income families, in the hope of becoming a role model of similar eye care programmes