HPB partners local myopia & parental management app to address childhood myopia
plano, a myopia screening tool and parental management application, has recently partnered the Health Promotion Board (HPB) to reduce the onset and progression of childhood myopia.
As part of the annual vision screening conducted by HPB in schools under the National Myopia Prevention Program, students and parents are encouraged to use the plano app to cultivate good eye care habits which can help to prevent the onset or progression of myopia. The new partnership is an example of HPB intensifying the use of technology to expand the reach and impact of its health promotion programs.
Singapore has one of the world’s highest prevalence rates for childhood myopia. Recognizing the significant public health implications, plano, was first conceptualized and developed by the Singapore Eye Research Institute-Singapore National Eye Centre’s (SERI-SENC) Ophthalmic Technologies Incubator Program, with support from the National Health Innovation Centre (NHIC).
Extensive feedback was also sought from over 2,000 parents and children to ensure that plano is fit for purpose. This has resulted in plano being the first of its kind to have live interventions to correct unhealthy device usage such as prolonged screen time use.
Interventions include active monitoring of how close the screen is to the eyes, prompts to adjust the user’s posture and reward-based nudges on device management. Points would be awarded for good device-use, and can be used to request for an ‘adventure’, which is an activity or a program for children, from parents. Parents can then use the points to redeem monetary discounts applicable to the ‘adventure’.
plano also uses artificial intelligence to ensure that children adhere to regular eye checks as well as detect early signs of myopia. plano also provides eye check recommendations and tips to aid in the improvement of device use. Premium users would also receive a customized report to provide feedback on their child’s progress.
Dr. Mo Dirani, Managing Director of plano, said, “The prevalence of myopia in Singapore is among the highest in the world. The partnership with HPB will be a pivotal step for plano to have greater reach to school children, raise awareness and complement the existing efforts to better manage myopia. And while plano is designed to manage device use and myopia, active use of the app would also help to improve overall quality of life among children.”
Dr. Veronica Tay, Deputy Director of the National Myopia Prevention Program and Student Health Centre of Health Promotion Board, said, “This new partnership with plano is part of the Health Promotion Board’s efforts to continuously explore new ways to encourage and equip Singaporeans to lead healthier lives through the use of technology. This collaboration with plano extends HPB’s work in preventing the onset and progression of childhood myopia. Beyond our vision screening in schools and public education efforts to promote good eye care habits, we can now involve parents more actively in cultivating good eye care habits in their children. Parents will now have the ability for smart monitoring of their children’s usage of electronic devices, at their convenience.