Singapore’s myopia rate at Primary 1 drops to 26%; more efforts to take eye care into the community

SINGAPORE - Singapore’s myopia rate for Primary 1 pupils has dropped over the past two decades to around 26 per cent, down from around 30 per cent.

This has met the Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) goal of 30 per cent or lower.

Statistics from the board, which has run the National Myopia Prevention Programme since 2001, show that the myopia prevalence rate for Primary 1 pupils was around 30 per cent in the mid-2000s.

But it dropped around 4 percentage points, and has since stabilised at around 26 per cent as at 2023, which is the latest available official figure.

The improvement was shared by Senior Minister of State for Health Koh Poh Koon on Oct 8 at the Singapore Optometric Association Conference 2025, held at the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Convention Centre.

Noting that the age of myopia onset is a key predictor of severe myopia complications later in life, Dr Koh said: “This is why early detection and timely interventions are critical.”

Myopia, or short-sightedness, causes distance vision to be blurred.

Early-onset myopia leads to high myopia and potentially blinding pathologic myopia in adulthood. Children who develop myopia early in life have a higher risk of high myopia as adults.

Under HPB’s myopia prevention programme, children from Kindergarten 1 to Primary 4 are screened annually for myopia.

Those who require early intervention for myopia are referred to HPB’s clinics for further assessments by optometrists or for the management of their conditions.

The board also actively promotes the adoption of good eye habits and participation in outdoor activities, which has been shown to have a positive effect on vision.

Singapore’s overall myopia prevalence rate from 1990 to 2023 was as high as 44.05 per cent, placing it fourth in the world, behind Japan (85.95 per cent), South Korea (73.94 per cent) and Russia (46.17 per cent), according to a 2024 study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology.

Across the world, around one in three children and teenagers is short-sighted, with the global prevalence set to reach around 40 per cent by 2050, exceeding 740 million cases, the study also found. It analysed data from myopia cases from 276 studies covering 50 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa, Oceania, and North and Latin America.

The Singapore Eye Research Institute (Seri) has been involved in myopia research since 1996, including the successful development of

low-dose atropine eye drops

to retard myopia progression in children above the age of six.

Another study

, by Seri and the Singapore National Eye Centre, found that the use of low-dose atropine eye drops to slow down the progression of myopia is safe, with no complications one or two decades after treatment.

Optometrists help patients with less complex eye conditions

There is also help for older people. Seniors can tap Project Silver Screen, first launched in 2018, to be screened for conditions such as cataract and glaucoma.

While early detection is crucial to prevent future complications, Dr Koh highlighted the need to also ensure that patients can receive the care that they need.

He pointed out that eye diseases are often asymptomatic in their early stages, and that individuals may not seek treatment until their conditions have deteriorated significantly.

Visits for eye conditions at public healthcare institutions have grown by 23 per cent over the past decade.

With an ageing population, the demand for eye services will likely continue to rise.

To deal with the demand, specially trained optometrists have stepped up to play a greater role, especially in managing patients with stable and less complex eye conditions.

At community eye clinics (CECs), set up since July 2018, optometrists take the lead in managing patients with conditions such as cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.

Optometrists at CECs have completed training, which spans over a year and includes mentorship with ophthalmologists.

This allows ophthalmologists to focus on patients with more complex conditions, or to perform surgical procedures on patients in specialist outpatient clinics, while allowing optometrists to provide eye care that they are trained and capable of at the CECs.

As at March, the five CECs across the island saw more than 83,000 visits. They are located in Ang Mo Kio Specialist Centre, Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic, Geylang Polyclinic, Hougang Polyclinic and Pioneer Polyclinic.

Asked whether it has plans to set up more CECs, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said it is encouraging more suitable patients to seek care at existing CECs and optimise their utilisation, before any further expansion.

Madam Yap Ah Suan, 71, has been visiting Pioneer Polyclinic twice a year for regular health checks.

In late 2024, she visited the polyclinic due to blurry vision in both eyes and was referred to the CEC within the polyclinic for further checks.

Following a series of detailed assessments by the optometrist, which were completed within an hour, she was found to have a mild cataract in both eyes, though no further intervention was necessary.

After a follow-up check in September found that her condition had worsened, particularly in her left eye, she was scheduled for an appointment at Ng Teng Fong General Hospital for an ophthalmologist to assess her condition.

Madam Yap said she appreciated the short wait time at the CEC, compared with her past experience of waiting for hours at another hospital’s eye clinic.

“Having the CECs will prevent patients with mild problems, like myself, from jamming up the hospitals,” said Madam Yap, who added that she also had more time to ask the optometrist questions about her condition.

While the CECs involve public-sector optometrists, MOH has also started other pilots to train optometrists in the private sector to manage patients with common eye conditions such as cataracts and glaucoma, and to conduct follow-up vision tests for seniors after community screening.

Ms Ho Suk Tan, 35, a senior optometrist at the National University Hospital (NUH), is among the first few optometrists who have completed the CEC training.

She sees about 15 patients every day, most of whom are seniors, at the CECs in Choa Chu Kang Polyclinic and Pioneer Polyclinic.

Describing the work as fulfilling, she said: “The training equips me with skills to independently manage and counsel patients with stable eye conditions, which is a significant step beyond the scope of my work at NUH.”