300 children receive free eye care from Bashundhara Group

Bashundhara Eye Hospital and Research Institute has provided free eye care services to around 300 young students at Reverie School in the capital to identify vision problems at an early stage.

The eye screening camp was held on Monday at the school in Bashundhara Residential Area, from 10am to 2pm. Nearly 300 students from playgroup to nursery took part in the programme, receiving vision tests, examinations of different parts of their eyes and necessary medical advice.

During the initial screening, doctors tested the children's visual acuity using a Snellen chart, which requires them to identify letters from a distance. They then used slit lamps to examine different parts of the eyes, including the cornea, iris and lens, and checked for conditions such as infections, corneal injuries and cataracts. The examinations also identified children with refractive errors.

Dr Tasruba Shahnaz, a consultant at Bashundhara Eye Hospital and Research Institute, said preliminary examinations found that at least 10 out of every 20 children had some form of refractive error, many of which had previously gone undetected.

She said excessive mobile phone use, sitting too close to screens, limited opportunities for outdoor play and prolonged focus on nearby objects could contribute to eye discomfort and vision-related problems among children.

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Headaches, eye pain, watery eyes, difficulty concentrating on studies and a tendency to watch television from very close distances may also indicate potential vision problems, she added.

Myopia, or nearsightedness, is one of the common vision problems among children. Those affected can see nearby objects clearly but have difficulty seeing distant objects, making it harder to read classroom boards and potentially affecting their studies and daily activities.

Dr Md Ahnak Shahriar, a senior medical officer at the institute, said it was important to detect myopia and hypermetropia, or farsightedness, during childhood. Appropriate glasses and treatment can help manage vision problems and support normal visual development.

He warned that prolonged undetected refractive errors could interfere with visual development, while severe myopia could increase the risk of retinal complications later in life. He recommended that children undergo eye examinations at least once a year and before starting school.

Mohammad Ismail Hossain, head of the Hifzul Quran department at Reverie School, said he discovered through the camp that his own child had an eye problem.

He said the condition might have remained undetected for longer without the initiative, adding that children often struggle to explain their vision difficulties, making it harder for parents to recognise problems at an early stage.

According to Hossain, doctors also cautioned students about excessive screen time and provided guidance on proper eye care.

Organisers said the programme aimed to identify vision problems early and raise awareness about children's eye health. They emphasised limiting children's mobile phone use, encouraging outdoor activities and spending time in daylight, and arranging regular eye examinations.

The initiative is being carried out under the guidance and vision of Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and the supervision of the Vision Care Foundation. Since its establishment in 2014, the foundation has been providing free eye care services in different districts across Bangladesh.

Bashundhara Eye Hospital and Research Institute conducts free eye camps nationwide to bring eye care services closer to underprivileged people. The camps provide eye examinations, specialist consultations and medicines free of charge.

The Bashundhara Group also arranges free surgeries in Dhaka for patients suffering from cataracts, pterygium and tear duct problems, covering their treatment, medicines, accommodation, meals and transportation.