Looking to the Future

People’s Daily October 22

The health of children’s vision is facing new threats as mobile terminals pervade people’s lives.

According to a report on optical health published by Peking University, without effective policy intervention, the number of people suffering from myopia in China will exceed 700 million by 2020. As the age of children suffering from myopia decreases, eight government departments jointly issued a plan aimed at preventing and controlling the disease among children and adolescents.

In reality, whether children should have access to mobiles and whether homework should be done on electronic devices has become of concern to parents and teachers. Some support using electronics in education, claiming that the practice can improve the efficiency of teaching. Others say it can be detrimental to children’s health and promote unfavorable Internet habits.

Technology is now a fundamental part of children’s lives and the key lies with the attitudes of teachers, parents, and manufacturers. Teachers should not solely rely on electronic products but rather teach students how to protect their eyes. Parents should look on electronic products with an open and skeptical mindset and explore how to use them safely. Manufacturers should also develop their products with a view to protecting the health of children’s eyesight.

More importantly, children should be encouraged to go outdoors and embrace nature in order to prevent myopia.