Kuwait City: Eyezone spearheaded a massive vision screening and awareness event on 24-26 March 2022 at Phase 2 of the Avenues Mall, Kuwait, to bring attention to parents and the public about the importance of addressing eye health in children, the family and communities. A powerhouse of eye care professionals screened school-aged children and young adults and provided consultation to parents on how to safeguard their child’s eyesight.

Globally, uncorrected refractive error is the main cause of vision impairment in children aged 6-15 years and the prevalence of myopia has increased tremendously during the pandemic due to the lack of outdoor activity and the increased use of electronic devices. According to recent studies, uncorrected refractive power can affect the academic performance of children. 

The three-day event was organized under the auspices of the Ministry of Health in Kuwait (MOH), and supported by Global Ophthalmic Institute (GOI), Al-Bahar Ophthalmology Center, Kuwait University and the Kuwait Ophthalmic Society. The screening process was supervised by Dr. Manal Bouhaimed, clinical assistant professor of Ethics and Ophthalmology in the Faculty of Medicine at Kuwait University, backed by top-notch optometrists led by Ms. April Habig, optometrist and CEO of International Optique.

“Prevention is better than cure. In this screening, optometrists and ophthalmologists noted children’s symptoms and history followed by vision checking and counselling, which have been given based on their vision problems. We also performed a stereopsis test (ability to see 3D images using both eyes) and colour vision of the kids. We screened a total of 796 children during the campaign. More such campaigns are required to bring awareness among the public,” said Ramya Dharmarajan, senior optometrist at the Mahatma Eye Hospital Private Limited and one of the optometrists who administered the screening.

Eyezone team assisted a group of volunteers with the logistics and organization while attending to the needs and inquiries of the ECPs, patients and their parents. Gifts were distributed to encourage children to participate in the screening. The event was sponsored by Zain Kuwait (Platinum Sponsor), Boubyan Bank (Gold Sponsor), International Optique (Gold Sponsor) and AlSayer Holding (Silver Sponsor).