Programme to help needy kids with poor vision

(From left) MSO assistant secretary Dr Chan Jan Bond and president Dr Muiz Mahyudin, Dr Ong and RBM vice-chairman Mohan Mervin Appana at the MOU signing between the NGO and MSO.

NON-profit Rainbow Bridge Malaysia (RBM) in collaboration with the Malaysian Society of Ophthalmology (MSO) has launched the “Gift of Sight” programme.

The initiative aims to provide comprehensive eyecare services to underprivileged and rural children, including the Orang Asli, in addressing vision impairments.

The programme offers complimentary eye examinations, refraction services and appropriate treatments for visual problems.

To ensure its sustainability, RBM signed a memoranda of understanding (MOU) with key stakeholders, including MSO, Association of Malaysian Optometrists (AMO) and International Specialist Eye Centre (ISEC).

According to a collaborative study by the Health Ministry and South East Asia Community Observatory (Seaco) on visual impairment in Malaysian preschoolers, refractive errors among children aged four to six in Malaysia was 95.4%.

The same study found that 61% of subjects suffered from bilateral visual impairment and the prevalence of amblyopia or lazy eye stood at 7.53%.

RBM president Dr Ong Kok Hai emphasised the importance of clear vision for children’s growth and development.

“Poor vision can impair their progress and mental development, hindering their overall life achievements,” he said.

The programme provides complimentary prescription spectacles for children with myopia and offers cost-free services for children requiring other forms of vision treatment.

In cases where children require more complex treatments, they will be referred to a government eye clinic.

Thani (not his real name), 13, from the Lighthouse Children’s Welfare Home Association, expressed his gratitude for the programme.

“Before getting my eyes checked, I always had to go to the front of the class to read what was written on the blackboard,” he said.

“Now, with the prescription glasses, it is so much clearer regardless of where I’m seated in the classroom.

“The world looks so much more beautiful now that I can see clearly the trees, flowers and the sky,” he added excitedly.

RBM aims to expand the programme to other regions in Malaysia by year end.

To support this endeavour, a fundraising campaign targeting RBM members, sponsors, and the public through crowdfunding is being held.

For more details please visit, https://tinyurl.com/43vba4pb or email [e-mail]