The proportion of students with visual impairment due to refractive error in recent years has increased in Vietnam from an estimated 2.5% in 2002 to 10% in 2007 (The national survey on blindness by the Central Eye Hospital conducted). According to a recent study conducted by the Institute of Sciences and Education in 2008, the rate of refractive error in students increased dramatically as students progressed through school stages with rates of 18.67% in primary, 23.47% in secondary and 32.68% in high school.
In an effort to comprehensively reinforce eye care services, toward the 2020 optical goal and also to meet the needs of the Department of Health Hanoi, The Fred Hollows Foundation (FHF) Viet Nam has conducted several projects that provided education and free glasses to school age students…