The National Ophthalmology Conference got underway in Ho Chi Minh City on October 24, attracting 750 doctors, surgeons and technicians nationwide, and several experts from France, the US, Japan, Germany and Singapore.

Held by the Vietnam Ophthalmological Society (VOS) and the Vietnam National Institute of Ophthalmology, the three-day event is a chance for experts to exchange experience as well as announce their latest research successfully applied over the past time.

Several thematic symposia on glaucoma, eye treatment and surgery will also be held on this occasion.

According to VOS statistics, the number of Vietnamese people suffering from blindness now accounts for 3.1 percent of the total population, while 15-40 percent of the population, including about three million children, have refractive eye disorders.

Over the past time, eye care has progressed significantly, including controlling xerophthalmia caused by the lack of Vitamin A, and building a provincial-level blindness prevention system.

The ophthalmological sector has set a target to reduce the rate of blindness in people aged over 50 to 2.35 percent by 2019 and establishing eye care centres for children.-VNA