Son La: 1,000 ethnic minority students receive free sight tests
The eye hospital of the northern province of Son La provided free eye care services for nearly 1,000 students in Thuan Chau district and Son La city during December 3-4.
A student in Son La has his eyes examined under the programme (Photo: VNA)
Son La (VNA)– The eye hospital of the northern province of Son La provided free eye careservices for nearly 1,000 students in Thuan Chau district and Son La city duringDecember 3-4.
The hospitals providedthe students with eye examinations, screening for refractive error, and freeglasses. It also organised a painting contest to promote eye care andprotection.
Around 400 pairs ofglasses have been given to students with vision problems throughout thecharitable programme.
Son La is a mountainousprovince where a majority of habitants are ethnic minority people of differentgroups. The local ethnic minority people, particularly the children, havelimited access to eye care services. As such, the event was held to increaseawareness of vision problems, such as refractive error, among teachers,students, and parents and improve the local eye care service system.
According to Vu TienQuyen, Director of the Son La Eye Hospital, refractive errors like near-sightedness,far-sightedness and astigmatism are the main causes of visionloss, blindness, and other sight-related disabilities which ultimately affect children’sability to study as well as their general daily activities. –VNA
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A student in Son La has his eyes examined under the programme (Photo: VNA) 
