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About the National Myopia Prevention Programme(NMPP)
Singapore has a very high prevalence of myopia. Above half of our children develop myopia by the age of 12 years old. More children are also becoming myopic at a younger age. This increases the risk of developing severe myopia which can lead to serious complications such as retinal detachment, and glaucoma later in life.
The National Myopia Prevention Programme (NMPP) was launched in 2001 to raise awareness of myopia and to promote good eye care habits among students.
Research into myopia indicates that near work may be a risk factor for myopia progression. Also, evidence suggests that outdoor activities might have a protective effect against myopia and that children who spend more time outdoors are less likely to be myopic.
The tagline for the NMPP is “Keep Myopia at Bay, Go Outdoors and Play!" In line with this, children are encouraged to:
- Spend more time on outdoor activities daily
- Spend less time on continuous near work, especially unnecessary near work such as playing games on the computer or on handheld devices or handphones.
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