XN000022-1987-05-27 — Page 20

WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, 1987

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ANNUAL SCREENING FOR VISUAL IMPEDIMENT

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THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THERE IS ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE SITUATION AS REGARDS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WEARING SPECTACLES, THE SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE, THE HON JOHN CHAMBERS, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON HILTON CHEONG-LEEN,

MR CHAMBERS SAID NO SPECIFIC SURVEY ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WEARING SPECTACLES HAD BEEN CONDUCTED IN HONG KONG IN RECENT YEARS. HOWEVER, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT DID CONDUCT A COMBINED SCREENING PROGRAMME ANNUALLY AMONGST PRIMARY ONE PUPILS TO DETECT ANY VISUAL HEARING OR SPEECH IMPEDIMENTS, HE SAID.

HE ALSO SAID STUDENTS WHO WERE FOUND TO HAVE EYESIGHT PROBLEMS WERE REFERRED TO SPECIALIST CLINICS FOR ASSESSMENT AND REMEDIAL ACTION,

MR CHAMBERS POINTED OUT THAT IN 1985/86, OUT OF 84 677 PRIMARY ONE PUPILS SCREENED TO IDENTIFY POSSIBLE EYESIGHT PROBLEMS, 4 803 WERE REFERRED TO SPECIALIST CLINICS AND 4.23 PER CENT OF THEM WERE ADVISED TO WEAR SPECTACLES.

IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, HE ADDED, 86 400 WERE SCREENED, 6 300 WERE REFERRED AND 5.91 PER CENT WERE ADVISED TO WEAR SPECTACLES.

+APART FROM THE SCREENING PROCESS, OTHER MEASURES ARE TAKEN TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION, HE SAID.

HE SAID THE HEALTH EDUCATION SYLLABUS FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS INCLUDED A STUDY OF THE EYES AND THEIR CARE, AND PUPILS WERE TAUGHT ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SUITABLE LIGHTING CONDITIONS FOR SCHOOL WORK AND ABOUT THE CORRECT DISTANCE BETWEEN THE EYES AND THE BOOK WHEN READING.

HE ADDED THAT THE EDUCATION REGULATIONS REQUIRED CLASSROOMS AND BLACK BOARDS TO BE ADEQUATELY LIT AND TEXT BOOKS TO USE PRINT OF APPROPRIATE TYPE AND SIZE.

AN EDUCATION CIRCULAR GAVE DETAILED ADVICE ON THESE REQUIREMENTS AND ALSO ON EYE CARE AND THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS TO THE EYES, MR CHAMBERS SAID.

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