By Olivia Miwil
KOTA KINABALU: Twelve per cent of students in Sabah failed vision screenings last year, said Sabah Health director Dr William Gotulis.
He said that of that number, only 40.5 per cent attended follow-up appointments with optometry officers for further examination.
"This situation shows the need to strengthen efforts to raise public awareness on the importance of eye health care and early treatment.
"We know that most vision problems can be prevented or treated earlier if people undergo regular eye examinations.
"Conditions such as short-sightedness, lazy eye and chronic eye diseases often do not show symptoms at an early stage until they reach a more serious level.
"Unfortunately, many people still wait until their condition becomes severe before seeking examination.
"This attitude must change because vision loss can be prevented with early treatment," he said.
He said geographical factors, access to healthcare services and the level of health literacy have implications for the early detection and follow-up treatment of vision problems.
He was speaking when officiating the Sabah state-level World Optometry Day 2026 celebration at Hospital Queen Elizabeth here.
He said eye health issues remain a global and national public health challenge.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that about 2.2 billion people worldwide suffer from vision impairment, he said.
He said about 80 per cent of these cases can be prevented or treated, with uncorrected refractive errors and cataracts among the main causes.
Meanwhile, the celebration also saw the launch of the e-book "Tentang Mata", a digital health education initiative developed by optometry officers from the Health Ministry (MOH) in Sabah and the Federal Territory of Labuan.
Among those present was Hospital Queen Elizabeth director Datuk Dr Abd Kahar Abd Asis.
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