LEGAZPI CITY – The Provincial Health Office of Albay is set to launch this October the Correction Vision project for all kindergarten pupils in the province.
Dr. Antonio Ludovice, assistant provincial health officer, said a series of correction vision screening will be conducted in all municipalities and cities of Albay in order to determine the magnitude of the problem concerning children with vision difficulties.
“At the same time, we will provide free corrective glasses to all clients immediately after the screening to be assisted by optometrist and ophthalmologist volunteers. This project aims to reduce the prevalence of avoidable visual impairment,” he said in an interview Wednesday.
All students identified with sub-normal vision will be subjected to cycloplegic refraction. The refraction device and other supplies have been procured by the provincial government.
Ludovice said the Provincial Health Office will also train all school nurses on basic vision screening. “With this, we can monitor all kindergarten pupils in the province and provide immediate intervention for them,” he said.
The official also explained that correcting people’s vision with eyeglasses advances socioeconomic development. He further said vision correction for children, for instance, has been proven to lead to better test scores and improved academic performance in primary school and increases the possibility of having a better educated populace.
Ludovice added that without eye glasses, children with poor vision are at a major disadvantage in school because 80 percent of all learning occurs through vision. (Mike Dela Rama/PNA)
