PGN eye checks find many children have vision problems

A recent eye health examination program in Jakarta, organized by PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN) through its 'CAKRA' (Health Checks for the People) initiative, has uncovered a significant number of students suffering from unaddressed vision impairments. The program, which screened 300 students and residents at PGN's headquarters, found many participants with high myopia or using glasses that no longer fit their vision needs.

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From today's examination results, we see many children experiencing quite serious vision problems but have not received adequate treatment due to cost limitations. This condition can certainly affect their learning process and quality of life. Therefore, we hope the glasses provided can help them study more comfortably and confidently.

One student was recorded with a severe nearsightedness of minus 17, while another who previously used minus 1 prescription glasses was found to need minus 6. These findings highlight the challenges many Indonesians face in accessing regular eye care, with the cost of examinations and corrective lenses being a major barrier.

Fajriyah Usman, Corporate Secretary of PGN, noted that these vision problems could hinder students' academic performance and overall quality of life. "We hope the glasses provided will help them study more comfortably and confidently," she stated. PGN has previously conducted basic health checks in other operational areas, reaching over 1,610 beneficiaries.

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For some students and parents, eye examinations or buying glasses is not easy because it requires considerable cost.

School officials and foundation leaders praised the initiative. Ratna Suminar, head of SDN Cideng 7, acknowledged that the program significantly helps students whose families struggle with the expense of eye care. Henny Setiyani of Yayasan Al Mubarok emphasized the ongoing need for such programs, as many families do not routinely get their children's eyes checked, and expressed hope for continued efforts to assist more children.

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This program is very helpful because it provides a solution that is directly felt by the students and their families. We see a very high enthusiasm from the participants and hope that activities like this can continue so that more children can be helped.