Mountain schools achieve zero myopia by boosting outdoor activity

KUNMING, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- In the remote mountains of southwest China's Yunnan Province, three elementary schools have achieved what seems like a fairy tale, with not a single student wearing glasses.

These schools, Wantang Primary School in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Lafu Primary School and Gedi Primary School in Pu'er City, have maintained a zero myopia record among their students, thanks to a simple yet powerful routine of over three hours of daily outdoor activities.

At Wantang Primary School, principal Sun Fubiao would stand by the flagpole early every morning, watching the children do their morning exercises.

"Our school has always taken pride in students not wearing glasses," he said, adding that he regards it as a personal responsibility to protect his pupils' eyesight.

Mao Heming, a Chinese language teacher who also wears glasses, said his nearsightedness resulted from watching TV, playing video games and reading novels by flashlight during his childhood. "I've always believed that protecting students' eyesight is the most meaningful gift our generation of 'bespectacled teachers' can give them."

According to the latest official statistics, 51.9 percent of Chinese children and adolescents are nearsighted, despite a slight decline in recent years.

"Given that one in every two children and adolescents in China is now nearsighted, a 'zero-myopia' school is nothing short of a miracle," said Lan Weizhong, vice president of the Aier school of ophthalmology at Central South University.

Lan said it is medically proven that more than two hours of daily outdoor activity is the most effective and economical way to prevent myopia. This is because such activity stimulates the retina to release dopamine, a key neurotransmitter that inhibits the abnormal elongation of the eyeball, which is the primary cause of myopia, he explained.

"Outdoor sunlight is the most natural nutrient for the eyes. Even on cloudy days, outdoor activities can protect vision," said Yang Jingying, a physician at the First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province.

The experience of these three myopia-free primary schools may be hard to replicate - situated in rural natural environments, with little exposure to electronic devices and ample outdoor activities. Nevertheless, efforts to reduce myopia among children are being made across China.

By 2030, the country aims to keep the myopia rate among six-year-olds at around 3 percent and limit the rate among primary school students to no more than 38 percent.

A 2024 government document mandates that primary schools organize outdoor recess and ensure at least one hour of daily physical activity for students.

Numerous cities and provinces nationwide have rolled out a series of measures to promote physical activity in schools. Key initiatives include mandating daily physical education classes and extending recess durations for primary and middle school students.

"Good eyesight is a lifelong asset. Getting answers wrong or performing poorly on a test, by comparison, are minor matters," said Duan Shaochun, principal of Lafu Primary School in Yunnan.