As many as 51.4 percent of local primary and middle school students have poor sight, according to the Shanghai Optical Disease Prevention and Treatment Center.

The center will dispatch doctors this week, ahead of National Eye Care Day on Friday, to bring optical screening and health care education to local schools and communities.

Statistics show that 28.28 percent of students in local primary schools, 62.29 percent of students in middle schools and 81.61 percent of students in universities have optical problems, including myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, amblyopia and some congenital optical ailments like cataracts.

Myopia is the most serious problem among optical disorders. A survey conducted by the center found 92.09 percent of local Grade-Four pupils with poor sight suffer myopia, and the percentage is 97.41 and 98.53 among Grade-Two middle school students and Grade-Two high school students with eye problems.

"Children between seven and 15 years should be alert to myopia problems, as sight in local students at this age drops dramatically," said Dr Zhu Huang from Xinhua Hospital.

Experts said myopia was heredity but could also be caused by reading, computer playing and TV watching, improper lighting and lack of physical exercise.

"Low sugar diet, calcium, sports and effective optical muscle exercises are all useful to prevent myopia," Zhu said. "Parents should take their children to hospital if they detect a drop in their sight. Myopia is a preventable and curable disease, which needs early intervention."

(Shanghai Daily June 3, 2008)