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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Marcos declares every 2nd week of October as National Myopia Consciousness Week

Marcos declares every 2nd week of October as National Myopia Consciousness Week

Published Nov 1, 2024 11:08 pm

At A Glance

  • A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) - Brien Holden Vision Institute report in 2015 predicted that 3.36 billion people would be affected by myopia by 2030.

President Marcos has declared the second week of October of every year National Myopia Consciousness Week to raise awareness of the dangers of the said eye disease.

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Pixabay

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is a refractive error in which rays of light entering the eye parallel to the optic axis are brought to focus in front of the retina when ocular accommodation is relaxed.

People with myopia can see objects that are near clearly but have difficulty seeing objects farther away.

Based on Proclamation No. 722, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on Oct. 28, Marcos cited the need to promote public awareness of the dangers of myopia and acknowledge the importance of myopia prevention and control to encourage healthier lifestyle habits among Filipinos.

With this, the President ordered the Department of Health (DOH), and the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and its Board of Optometry, to lead the yearly observance of the National Myopia Consciousness Week.

All other government offices including state universities and colleges, local government units, and the private sector, are urged to actively participate and support the DOH and the PRC in its programs for the said observation.

A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) - Brien Holden Vision Institute report in 2015 predicted that 3.36 billion people would be affected by myopia by 2030. This figure would balloon to 4.8 billion people by 2050, increasing the risk of vision impairment from conditions like retinal damage, cataracts, glaucoma, and myopic macular degeneration.

A report by the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) stated that myopia prevalence has been steadily increasing each decade, with nearly 40 percent of the overall current population being myopic.

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