Prolonged inconvenience due to nearsightedness
At the age of 23, Mr. Bui Minh Giang (Yen Hoa ward, Hanoi) has worn glasses for many years. Regularly using computers and phones puts a lot of pressure on his eyes. Mr. Giang said that glasses are almost indispensable in daily life. However, when it rains, playing sports or participating in outdoor activities, wearing glasses causes many inconveniences; leaving glasses behind limits vision.
Not only Mr. Giang, Ms. Nguyen Phuong Linh (Thanh Xuan ward, Hanoi) is also facing many difficulties due to the increasingly severe nearsightedness. Working in the field of information technology, most of her day is spent on computer screens, phones and electronic devices. In just one year, her nearsightedness increased rapidly from 2.5 diopters to 4.5 diopters in the left eye and from 1.5 diopters to 4 diopters in the right eye.
According to Ms. Linh, in addition to work pressure, the use of electronic devices for entertainment after work makes the eyes almost have no time to rest. Although she wants treatment to improve her eyesight, Ms. Linh said that she still considers it because the cost is not small, especially for young people who are having to balance many expenses in life.
Eye strain and dryness after a long time of studying and working with screens are also things that Ms. Nguyen Thu Thao (22 years old) often encounters. Ms. Thao said that phones and computers have become indispensable tools in studying, working as well as daily communication. After many years of wearing glasses, she always wants to have the opportunity to treat refractive errors to make living more convenient.
Expectations from new policies
Recently, the Hanoi City People's Council passed a Resolution stipulating a number of specific policies to support people in the city.
Accordingly, from July 1, 2026, Hanoi will support the treatment costs of refractive errors in the eyes for people aged 18 to 35 with refractive errors of 3 diopters or more, who are permanently or temporarily residing for 12 consecutive months or more in the city. The support level is implemented according to the medical examination and treatment service prices of public medical examination and treatment facilities issued by competent authorities.
This information quickly received the attention of many young people. In the context of the increasingly long study and work time in front of the screen, vision problems are becoming a concern for many families.
According to many people, besides the inconveniences caused by prolonged wearing glasses, treatment costs are also one of the barriers that make many people postpone refractive error intervention plans. Therefore, Hanoi's new support policy is expected to create conditions for people to access appropriate treatment services, while reducing financial burdens. "The policy will help many people have more motivation to access appropriate treatment services, especially those who are still concerned about costs" - Mr. Bui Minh Giang expressed.
Sharing the same feeling, Ms. Linh believes that the city's implementation of policies to support nearsightedness treatment shows concern for people's health in the context of increasingly common vision problems. Meanwhile, Ms. Thao believes that the new policy gives her more motivation to learn and plan treatment in the coming time.
For many young people in Hanoi, the policy of supporting refractive error treatment not only helps reduce the cost burden but also opens up more opportunities to access eye care services. In the context of increasingly common nearsightedness, this policy is expected to help people proactively take care of their eyesight, improve quality of life and reduce inconveniences caused by dependence on glasses.
