Xi demands efforts to protect children's eyesight

President Xi Jinping has pressed for effective measures to take care of Chinese children's eyesight so that "they will have a bright future."

The high incidence of myopia among students, which affects more and more children at a younger age and undermines their health, is a major problem for the future of the country and the Chinese nation, he said in the recent instruction, adding that authorities should pay close attention to this issue and should not let it deteriorate.

Chinese President Xi Jinping [File photo: Xinhua]

Comprehensive and effective schemes to prevent and treat myopia among children should be made and governments at all levels across the country should implement them well, he said.

"All sectors of the society should respond to this issue," Xi stressed.

Having paid close attention to the issue for a long time, Xi made the instruction in response to a media report on this problem.

The authorities including Ministry of Education and National Health Commission have drafted a prevention and control scheme and published it to solicit opinions from the public.

The scheme, setting the goals and clarifying duties of parents, schools and health departments, will take effect soon.