The Seniors University of China (SUC) hosted a series of health science popularisation events in 2024, focusing on eye health.
On 6 June 2024, the 29th National Eyes Caring Day, SUC collaborated with over ten educational institutions from Henan, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Shanghai, Ningbo, and other regions to launch the "2024 Health Science Popularisation, Focusing on Eye Health" initiative. Liu Xuanxuan, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission at the Open University of China (SUC), attended and addressed the event.
Themed "Ten Thousand People from Ten Cities United for Senior Eye Health," the event aimed to enhance the health literacy and proactive health management skills of senior students through eye health lectures and free consultations by ophthalmologists from top-tier public hospitals. This initiative sought to foster a community-wide awareness and commitment to eye health protection.
Beijing Main venue
Since its establishment on 3 March 2023, SUC has been actively supporting the national strategy on ageing population by organising health-focused activities under the tenets of "cultivating virtue, pursuing lifelong learning, proactively maintaining health, embracing a joyful life, and achieving positive accomplishments." At the launch, Liu Xuanxuan highlighted that SUC had established the School of Proactive Health and developed a corresponding curriculum to effectively disseminate proactive health knowledge and skills among the elderly. The eye health campaign was designed to meet the needs of seniors and spread accurate, scientific, and authoritative eye health information, encouraging broader societal engagement in senior eye health care.
Liu Xuanxuan presents a certificate of participation to Professor Qi Hong, the distinguished ophthalmologist from Peking University Third Hospital.
Lyu Yingxiao, the national manager for Patient and Social Education in the Intraocular Lens Market Division of Carl Zeiss Vision (China) Medical Department and a representative of the event's co-organisers, emphasised that the commitment to public-service science education has always been integral to Zeiss's development philosophy. She expressed hope that the event would truly benefit the elderly participants, enabling them to shine both in the classrooms of the senior university and in their daily lives.
Professor Qi Hong, chief ophthalmologist at Peking University Third Hospital, delivered a professional and practical lecture on eye health to the senior students after the launch. She emphasised the impact of cataracts and presbyopia on seniors, which could lead to physical and psychological health issues if not addressed promptly. Professor Qi recommended regular eye health checks after the age of 40 and seeking professional medical help when necessary.
During the event, Professor Qi and her team provided free eye health consultations for the students at SUC.
On-site free clinic
The SUC's consecutive hosting of the All-Vision Presbyopia Health Science Popularisation initiative for two years reflects its proactive engagement in national strategies like "Healthy China" and "Addressing the Ageing Population." Looking forward, SUC plans to expand its health science popularisation efforts to support the long-term development of healthy ageing in China.
This event was co-organised by Carl Zeiss (Shanghai) Management Co., Ltd. and Bell & Horn Education and Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd.
By Teaching and Academic Affairs Centre, SUC