• on 20/12/2022

Press conference on pupils’ eyesight survey

The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences (DOVS) of the Faculty of Medicine and the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), jointly announced the result of a survey of pupils eyesight during the COVID-19 pandemic at a press conference held on 20 December 2022. The Chairman of the Department, Professor Clement CY THAM along with Professor Calvin CP PANG and Associate Professor Dr Jason CS YAM spoke at the press conference to help raise the public awareness of pupils visual health.

Hong Kong is among the cities with the highest prevalence of myopia in the world. To better understand the visual health of schoolchildren in Hong Kong, the CUHK EdDataX Research Centre conducted a survey of pupils eyesight during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey examined various vision complications (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, strabismus and amblyopia) among pupils of different grades, as well as parents and teachers awareness of pupils visual health.

Many Hong Kong pupils are affected by myopia, increasing from 28% in Primary 3 to 66% in Secondary 3

The questionnaire survey was conducted in June 2021 in 108 primary schools (P.) and 103 secondary schools (S.), and involved 6,498 P.3 (Grade 3) pupils, 4,249 P.6 (Grade 6) pupils, 6,228 S.3 (Grade 9) pupils, and their parents, as well as 736, 547 and 730 teachers who mainly taught P.3, P.6 and S.3 respectively.

The results show that many pupils are affected by myopia: 28% in P.3, 50% in P.6 and 66% in S.3. Astigmatism was found in 47% of the S.3 pupils. A sizeable number of pupils who do not wear glasses reported vision complications, such as astigmatism, myopia and hyperopia. Parents′ myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, strabismus and amblyopia are strongly linked to similar vision complications in their children. Over half of the parents reported that their children′s visual health deteriorated during the pandemic but few of them took any remedial action. Please click here to view the survey report.

Parents and teachers had not given extra advice to pupils on eye protection

Professor HAU Kit Tai, Professor at CUHK′s Department of Educational Psychology, highlights the survey findings of pupils′ eyesight during the pandemic conducted by the CUHK EdDataX Research Centre.

Professor HAU Kit-tai, Professor at CUHKs Department of Educational Psychology said, “As reported by pupils, neither teachers nor parents gave them additional advice about eye protection during the pandemic, but parents gave more advice than teachers. Parents of higher socioeconomic status and with better education did not give more guidance on eye care. As reported by schools, teachers and principals claimed that they had given extra advice on eye care during the pandemic (June 2021). However, this was not confirmed in pupils responses. The education sector should join hands with medical professionals to organise large-scale public education campaigns that raise awareness of eye health among pupils.”

Professor Clement CY THAM, Chairman and S H Ho Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, CU Medicine, explains the reasons of myopia bloom among pupils in Hong Kong during the pandemic.

Professor Clement CY THAM, Chairman and S H Ho Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Faculty of Medicine of CUHK (CU Medicine), remarked, “Hong Kong is a highly populous city, where outdoor spaces are limited. During the pandemic, physical classes were replaced by online classes and social activities were restricted. Pupils eventually spent less time outdoors and more time on near work, such as using computers and reading. These external factors contribute to the deterioration in eyesight. The situation should be dealt with immediately.”

Pupils should prevent myopia to reduce the risk of sight-threatening complications

Professor Calvin CP PANG, S H Ho Research Professor of Visual Sciences from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, CU Medicine, says that myopia can lead to sight-threatening complications, including glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachment and cataract.

Professor Calvin CP PANG, S H Ho Research Professor of Visual Sciences, CU Medicine and Director of the Shantou University/The Chinese University of Hong Kong Joint Shantou International Eye Centre, explained, “The eyeballs of myopic people, especially those with high myopia, greater than -6.00 diopters, are excessively elongated, causing various complications including choroidal thinning, retinal pigment epithelium weakening and vascular irregularities. Myopia can lead to sight-threatening complications, including glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachment and cataract. To reduce the risk of complications caused by eyeball elongation, myopia onset and progression in children has to be prevented and controlled.”

Pupils should spend at least 2 hours per day outdoors

Dr Jason CS YAM, Associate Professor from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, CU Medicine advises that parents and teachers should pay more attention to pupils′ visual health and pupils should spend at least 2 hours per day or 14 hours per week outdoors.

Dr Jason CS YAM, Associate Professor from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, CU Medicine, remarked, “More schoolchildren became myopic and experienced myopic progression during the pandemic. We suggest teachers and parents take preventive and control measures. On myopia prevention, pupils are recommended to spend at least two hours daily or 14 hours weekly outdoors. Outdoor play is good for the eyes because sun exposure helps to increase dopamine release and slow down eye growth. Pupils should develop healthy reading habits in using digital devices and adjust the time for near work to allow for adequate rest. For myopia control, pupils should undergo professional eye examinations. Pharmacological or optical interventions should be implemented to inhibit myopia progression in pupils at high risk.”

Mrs LI (second left) shares her experience in taking care of her 9-year-old daughter with high myopia, including frequently giving advice on eye protection and reminding having adequate rest for eyes in between online classes.
The Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences of the Faculty of Medicine and the Department of Educational Psychology of the Faculty of Education, CUHK, jointly announce the result of a survey of pupils′ eyesight during the COVID-19 pandemic.
(From left) Professor Calvin CP PANG, Professor Clement CY THAM, Professor HAU Kit Tai and Dr Jason CS YAM.

 

2022年12月20日

中大調查顯示家長和學校應更重視學童視力問題

香港是全球近視患病率最高的城市之一。為更了解本港學童的視力健康情況,香港中文大學(中大)教育數據研究中心進行了一項「疫情下學童視力調查」,檢視本港不同年級學童的各種視力問題(包括近視、遠視、散光、斜視和弱視),以及家長及教師在2019冠狀病毒病疫情期間對學童眼睛健康的關注程度。

很多香港學童患有近視,由小三約28%增至中三達66%

是項調查於2021年6月進行,以問卷方式成功訪問來自108所小學和103所中學的6,498名小三、4,249名小六和6,228名中三學生及其家長,以及主要任教該三個級別的736、547和730‍名教師。

調查發現許多學童患有近視(小三約28%、小六約50%和中三約66%),47%中三學童也有散光。有相當數量沒有配戴眼鏡的學童報稱患有視力問題,包括散光、近視和遠視。學童的父母若患有近視、遠視、散光、斜視或弱視,學童大多也有同類的視力症狀。約一半接受調查的父母指出,學童的視力在疫情期間漸趨惡化,但很少父母有採取補救措施。請按此查閱調查報告。

家長和教師沒有額外提醒學童保護眼睛

中大教育心理學系教授侯傑泰教授表示:「從學童調查中得知,教師或家長在疫情期間沒有額外提醒學童保護眼睛,而來自家長的提醒比教師多。當中社會經濟地位和教育程度較高的家長,他們都沒有為子女提供較多的眼睛護理指導。在學校方面,教師和校長聲稱他們在疫情期間(2021年6月)有額外提醒學童注意眼睛護理,但在學生的回應中並沒有得到證實。教育界與醫療專業人員有需要舉辦大型眼睛護理的公民教育活動,以提升學童保護視力的意識。」

中大醫學院眼科及視覺科學學系系主任兼何善衡眼科及視覺科學講座教授譚智勇教授表示:「香港人口非常稠密,居住地的戶外空間少。在疫情期間,因為學校停課、網課代替實體課,以及社交活動受限制,學童在戶外活動的時間大幅減少,反而在室内近距離工作,包括使用電腦或閱讀的時間大幅增加。這些外在因素導致學童近視在疫情期間漸趨惡化,情況必須關注。」

學童要預防近視以降低出現致盲併發症的風險

中大醫學院眼科及視覺科學學系何善衡視覺科學研究講座教授兼汕頭大學・香港中文大學聯合汕頭國際眼科中心院長彭智培教授補充說:「當近視患者的眼球過度延長,便會產生多種併發症,包括脈絡膜變薄、視網膜色素上皮變弱和出現血管不規則。深近視患者(超過600度)的情況尤其嚴重。近視可導致一些致盲的併發症,包括青光眼、黃斑病變、視網膜脫落和白內障。為降低因眼球拉長而出現致盲併發症的風險,學童必須要預防出現近視,並加強控制近視加深。」

學童應每天花最少2小時接觸戶外環境

中大醫學院眼科及視覺科學學系副教授任卓昇醫生表示:「在疫情期間有更多學童患上近視及近視加深的速度變快。我們建議老師和家長從預防和控制兩方面着手應對。在預防近視方面,學童每天應花最少2小時或每週14小時接觸戶外環境,多進行戶外活動和適量接觸陽光以增加分泌多巴胺,有助預防及減慢近視加深。學童亦要養成健康的使用電子產品閱讀的習慣,調節近距離工作的時間,適時讓眼睛休息。至於在控制近視加深方面,家長應為學童安排專業眼科檢查,在出現近視時,可以使用藥物或光學方法有效地控制近視加深的情況,減低出現致盲併發症的風險。」

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Press conference on pupils’ eyesight survey