With the end of the college entrance examination and the arrival of summer vacation, many ophthalmology hospitals in this city have experienced a peak in medical visits. Recently, the reporter visited the Ophthalmic Refractive Surgery Center of Beijing Tongren Hospital. As the largest refractive surgery center in the city, it is fully operational to serve patients. According to data from the center, the number of myopia correction surgeries from June to August each year nearly doubles compared to normal days, with an average daily surgical volume exceeding 200 cases. It is worth noting that among the patients who come for surgery, the proportion of young people aged 18-25 is increasing, and the number of highly myopic patients is also increasing, reflecting the severe situation of myopia prevention and control. Experts emphasize that completing myopia surgery is not a one-time solution, and scientific eye use is crucial. At 9am, the refractive surgery center on the second floor of the outpatient building of Beijing Tongren Hospital was crowded with young students who became the main force due to the sharp increase in summer surgery volume. Long queues extended from different examination room entrances. Before surgery, patients need to undergo strict eye examinations here, and doctors will evaluate whether the surgery is suitable and which surgical procedure to choose. Every summer, this place becomes particularly busy. The reporter saw on site that the waiting patients were mostly young people, including students who had just completed the college entrance examination. Ma Tianxiang (pseudonym) is holding a stack of inspection documents and queuing up in an orderly manner. He comes from Xicheng and has just finished the college entrance examination. He plans to take off his glasses during the summer vacation. Ma Tianxiang showed the list of examination items to the reporter of Beiqing Daily, including corneal thickness examination, corneal curvature examination, fundus examination, intraocular pressure measurement, far vision examination, near vision examination, scanning laser fundus examination and more than ten other items. Both of my eyes have a temperature of around 600 degrees Celsius, which has been relatively stable in the past two years. I usually enjoy playing basketball, but wearing glasses is always inconvenient. During a fierce competition, I was also scratched by a frame and wanted to see if I could have surgery to remove my glasses. "During the queue, Chen Xin (pseudonym) and Fang Xiaotong (pseudonym) chatted enthusiastically. Chen Xin is 25 years old this year and has a 14 year history of wearing glasses. Her left eye is 300 degrees and her right eye is 375 degrees. She just graduated from graduate school this year and is about to enter the workplace. Her purpose for removing glasses is very clear: "In order to become more beautiful. Wearing glasses is particularly inconvenient in daily life, as the glasses support presses against the bridge of the nose and the nose root is prone to dents." She did her "homework" three months in advance, and after making up her mind, she finally successfully hung up her number and started her "mirror removal journey". Zhai Changbin, the chief physician of the Refractive Surgery Center at Tongren Hospital, has long been accustomed to the peak of summer visits. The peak of summer surgery volume is mainly concentrated from early June to the end of August each year, with a daily surgical volume of about 200 cases. The two dedicated operating rooms in the refractive surgery center are open 24/7, starting from 8am and running until 10pm is the norm. "Zhai Changbin analyzed that there are three main groups of people who choose to undergo surgery during the summer: first, high school graduates, who have just completed the college entrance examination and have ample time, especially those who have strict requirements for naked eye vision when applying for military academies, police academies, flight majors, etc., so they choose to correct their vision before enrollment physical examinations; Secondly, for job seeking college students, some enterprises and institutions have clear standards for vision when recruiting; Thirdly, individuals with winter and summer vacations, such as college students, teachers, and other groups, use their holidays to undergo surgeries. The situation of myopia prevention and control is severe, and the number of highly myopic patients is increasing. According to incomplete statistics, in 2023, 1.5 out of every 1000 people in China underwent myopia correction surgery, which is an improvement compared to 2021. Zhai Changbin clearly felt that in recent years, the surgical population entering the outpatient department has shown a trend of youthfulness, especially the increasing number of people aged 18-25. Meanwhile, the proportion of patients with high myopia above 600 degrees is over 20%. In addition to local myopic patients, Beijing Tongren Hospital also gathers difficult cases from all over the country, such as patients with high astigmatism and fundus lesions. This also reflects the severe situation of myopia prevention and control from another perspective. In the outpatient department, there are also many parents who come with minors for consultation. Zhai Changbin said that currently, the suitable age for myopia correction surgery is mainly concentrated between 18-50 years old. One of the prerequisites for myopia surgery is to maintain a relatively stable state of vision. Before the age of 18, children who are not yet adults may still experience changes in their myopia degree due to changes in physical development and academic pressure during compulsory education, such as the middle and high school entrance exams. It is generally recommended to use frame glasses for correction, which is economical, convenient, and safe. If there are no special occupational needs, the significance of undergoing myopia correction surgery at this time is not significant. In addition, as people over 50 years old grow older, they are likely to have presbyopia problems, so the benefits of myopia surgery are limited for this group of people. The more expensive the surgery, the better it is. Currently, myopia correction surgery has entered the era of "full process laser without knives", and mainstream surgical methods include corneal laser surgery and intraocular lens implantation surgery. Corneal laser surgery is equivalent to subtraction, which requires cutting the cornea. Crystal implantation surgery is called "addition", which is equivalent to adding a lens to the eye without cutting the cornea. Zhai Changbin explained that the choice of surgical technique varies from person to person. If the patient's eye conditions are still acceptable, the degree is not high, and the corneal thickness is sufficient, corneal laser surgery can be performed within a safe range. For example, full femtosecond surgery has a small incision and fast recovery, making it suitable for athletes and other individuals with competitive sports needs; Alternatively, more personalized semi femtosecond surgery can be used, combined with precise corneal cutting based on the patient's corneal shape, to achieve more accurate visual effects. This is suitable for professions with high visual quality requirements such as photographers, designers, and airport tower staff; If the cornea is thin and the degree is high, intraocular lens implantation surgery can be performed. Some patients believe that the more expensive the surgery, the better, and they immediately need the doctor to arrange the most expensive surgery for them. However, this is not the case, and what suits them is the best. The specific surgical procedure to be used depends on factors such as the patient's own eye condition and occupational needs, and requires detailed examination and evaluation. The entire examination process may take 3-4 hours, equivalent to a comprehensive eye 'physical examination'. Myopia surgery should prioritize safety, as it is not suitable for everyone. Every year, many patients are advised to withdraw due to inadequate corneal thickness, unstable degree in the past two years, eye inflammation, glaucoma, and other conditions. On the basis of meeting safety conditions, select the most suitable method for patients to achieve the goal of removing the endoscope. ”Zhai Changbin said. Surgery is not a one-time solution. Scientific eye use is the key. Zhai Changbin emphasized that surgery only corrects the existing degree of myopia and cannot prevent its progression. Surgery is not a one-time solution. Postoperative scientific eye use and care are key. According to follow-up data, the most common reaction after surgery is dry eye, and about half of patients will experience dry eye symptoms three months after surgery, such as dryness and discomfort in the eyes, which can be relieved by artificial tears. Some people may experience mild glare at night during the early healing stage, and night vision may be affected. Night driving at night requires attention to safety, but this symptom will gradually disappear after about six months to a year. "Zhai Changbin explained that these symptoms are also related to the choice of surgical method, and the probability of complications may be smaller if the surgical method is chosen well. It is recommended to avoid getting water or rubbing the eyes for one week after surgery, and to avoid engaging in confrontational exercises to prevent eye injuries. If there are any abnormalities, seek medical attention promptly. ·Extending the prevention and control of myopia requires moving the focus forward and increasing outdoor activities, which is fundamental. In recent years, the phenomenon of low age myopia in China has become increasingly evident, with many first and second grade students and even younger children wearing glasses. The constantly changing modern lifestyle, coupled with increased academic pressure, reduced outdoor activity time, and dependence on electronic products, has led to a significant increase in children's close range eye use time, all of which are exacerbating the risk of myopia. According to data released by the National Health Commission in 2023, the overall myopia rate among children and adolescents in China is 52.7%, including 35.6% for primary school students, 71.1% for junior high school students, and 80.5% for high school students. In recent years, the government has attached increasing importance to the prevention and control of myopia in children and adolescents. The health and education systems have also taken many measures, including increasing outdoor activities and improving classroom lighting. However, the situation of prevention and control remains severe. ”Zhai Changbin said that the key to preventing myopia is to increase children's outdoor activity time, strengthen physical exercise, and reduce the burden of close range eye use. Appropriate outdoor lighting can also promote dopamine secretion in the retina and inhibit excessive axial growth. Zhai Changbin emphasized that myopia surgery is ultimately just a corrective measure. It is not only necessary to provide safe and reliable surgical plans for eligible patients, but also to call on the whole society to move forward and pay early attention to the prevention of myopia in adolescents. This requires the joint efforts of families, schools, medical institutions, and other parties. (New Society)