Joint position statement: Strengthening eye screening for newborns and pre-schoolers in Malaysia

Manoharan Shunmugam; Professor Dr Liza Sharmini Ahmad Tajudin; Professor Dr Shatriah Ismail; Dr Norazah Binti Abdul Rahman; Ahmad Fadhullah Fuzai; Christopher Tai Foo Siang; Assoc Prof Dr Mohamad Ikram Ilias; Dr Khor Swee Kheng; Dr Ginsky Chan; Dr Sunder Ramasamy

doi:10.35119/myjo.v8i1.521

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Submitted: 2025-10-08

DOI: 10.35119/myjo.v8i1.521

Editorial

Published: 2026-02-20

Joint position statement: Strengthening eye screening for newborns and pre-schoolers in Malaysia

Manoharan Shunmugam, MBChB (UK), MRCS (Ed), FRCOphth (London), AM (Mal)⁺⁻
Professor Dr Liza Sharmini Ahmad Tajudin, MBBS (Mal), MMed (Ophthal) (USM), PhD (UK), FAMM⁺⁻
Professor Dr Shatriah Ismail, BSK, AMK, MD, MMed (Ophthal), FAMM (Mal), FAMM (Sg)⁺⁻
Dr Norazah Binti Abdul Rahman, MBBS (UM), MMed (Ophthal) (UM), CCFT (Mal)⁺⁻
Ahmad Fadhullah Fuzai⁺⁻
Christopher Tai Foo Siang⁺⁻
Assoc Prof Dr Mohamad Ikram Ilias. MBBS (Aus), MMed (Paediatrics) (USM)⁺⁻
Dr Khor Swee Kheng. MD (UKM), MRCP (UK), MPH (Berkeley), MPP (Oxford)⁺⁻
Dr Ginsky Chan. MBBS (India), MPH (LSHTM)⁺⁻
Dr Sunder Ramasamy. MBBS (MAHE), MSOphthal (UKM), FRCS (Glasgow), FICO, CCFT, AM (Mal)⁺⁻

Founding Member, Asia Pacific Pediatric Retina Association (APPREA)

https://orcid.org/0009-0001-7229-893X

President, Malaysian Society of Ophthalmology (MSO)

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8144-8816

President, College of Ophthalmologists, Academy of Medicine of Malaysia

Chairperson for Malaysia Advocacy for Myopia Prevention (MAMP)

President, Association of Malaysian Optometrists (AMO)

President, The Malaysian Association of Practising Opticians (MAPO)

President, Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA)

Honorary Assistant Professor, Hong Kong University.

Adjunct Lecturer, UTAR School of Medicine

Consultant Paediatric Ophthalmologist, OasisEye Specialists

amblyopia early detection myopia Malaysia paediatric vision screening public health

Abstract

The Malaysian Society of Ophthalmology, the College of Ophthalmologists, the Malaysia Advocacy for Myopia Prevention, the Association of Malaysian Optometrists, the Malaysian Association of Practising Opticians, and the Malaysian Paediatric Association present this joint position statement firmly recommending an all-of-Malaysia effort to strengthen eye screening for all children nationwide in Malaysia, especially for newborns aged 0–30 days and for preschoolers aged 5–6. This joint position statement is supported by colleagues from the Asia-Pacific Paediatric Retina Association (APPREA).