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Excessive screen time poses serious threat to eye health: Dr Yousaf Jamal
HMC eye specialist urges regular eye checkups, healthy lifestyle, and public awareness to prevent vision loss
Press Release
PESHAWAR: Renowned ophthalmologist and Associate Professor & Chairperson of the Department of Ophthalmology at Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC), Dr Yousaf Jamal Mahsood, has expressed serious concern over the excessive and unnecessary use of mobile phones and other digital gadgets, particularly among children and young people, warning that the growing trend could have severe consequences for eye health if not addressed in time.
Speaking to media persons at his office, Dr Mahsood said prolonged screen exposure had become a major public health concern and called for greater awareness to protect vision. He advised people experiencing any eye-related problem to seek immediate consultation with a qualified ophthalmologist, stressing that delays in treatment could lead to serious complications and, in some cases, permanent vision loss.
Highlighting the importance of eye health, he said the eyes serve as the primary source of information for the brain and enable people to interact with the world around them. “Our eyes are among the most precious gifts of Almighty Allah. Protecting them should be a priority for everyone,” he remarked.
Dr Mahsood emphasized the importance of regular eye examinations at different stages of life. He recommended that every newborn should undergo an eye examination by a qualified eye specialist. He further advised that children should have their eyesight checked again around the age of five, while individuals aged 40 years and above should undergo comprehensive eye examinations at least once every year.
The senior ophthalmologist also stressed the role of a healthy lifestyle in maintaining good vision. He encouraged people to engage in regular physical activity, such as walking or exercise, and to keep blood pressure and blood sugar levels under control, noting that hypertension and diabetes are among the leading causes of serious eye diseases and vision impairment.
Calling for stronger public awareness campaigns, Dr Mahsood said educating people about the prevention of blindness, early diagnosis of eye diseases, timely treatment, and rehabilitation of visually impaired individuals was the need of the hour. He added that the Department of Ophthalmology at Hayatabad Medical Complex has consistently been working to promote eye care services and awareness across Pakistan, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Dr Yousaf Jamal Mahsood has more than two decades of experience in ophthalmology. He has authored numerous research papers published in national and international accredited journals and has represented Pakistan at several international forums on eye health. He graduated with an MBBS degree from Khyber Medical College, Peshawar, obtained FCPS (Ophthalmology) from the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP), and completed a Fellowship in Glaucoma in Canada.
National
China’s New Development Plan Boosts CPEC 2.0 Prospects
PROVINCE REPORT
ISLAMABAD: China’s newly unveiled 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), with its emphasis on high-quality development, innovation and improving people’s well-being, is expected to create fresh opportunities for Pakistan as the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) enters a new phase focused on human capital, livelihoods and community development, experts say.
The plan’s priorities closely align with the evolving direction of CPEC 2.0, under which bilateral cooperation is gradually expanding beyond large-scale infrastructure projects towards “small yet beautiful” initiatives aimed at improving education, healthcare, vocational training, employment, agriculture and rural development.
Experts believe the 15th Five-Year Plan reinforces a broader shift in Pakistan-China cooperation from building physical infrastructure to investing in people. They say that if Pakistan effectively aligns CPEC 2.0 with skills development, education, healthcare and community-based projects, the partnership could foster more inclusive economic growth while delivering tangible improvements in livelihoods across the country.
Speaking with Wealth Pakistan, Max Ma, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of UNI International (Pakistan), said the next phase of Pakistan-China cooperation should place human capital development on equal footing with infrastructure investment.
He said China has accumulated extensive experience in technical and vocational education and training (TVET), and sharing that expertise with Pakistan could equip young people with industry-relevant skills, improve employability and support sustainable economic growth.
According to Ma, stronger collaboration between Pakistani institutions and Chinese vocational education providers could modernise Pakistan’s TVET system through teacher training, digital learning and closer partnerships between educational institutions and industry.
Such cooperation, he said, would help prepare Pakistani youth for emerging industries while enhancing their competitiveness in domestic and international labour markets.
He pointed to the Pakistan-China vocational training initiative under the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme as an example of this growing collaboration. The programme aims to train 100,000 digitally skilled young people over the next five years, including 10,000 through classroom-based training and 90,000 through online learning, while also preparing 1,000 master trainers within two years to strengthen Pakistan’s long-term training capacity.
Ma said the greatest strength of CPEC’s new phase lies in its greater emphasis on projects that directly improve livelihoods.
“Skills development, digital education and entrepreneurship can raise household incomes much faster than capital-intensive infrastructure projects alone,” he said.
Echoing these views, Masood Khan, Pakistan’s former ambassador to China, told Wealth Pakistan that China’s latest development strategy converges with the objectives of CPEC 2.0, which increasingly prioritises agriculture, healthcare, education, vocational training, poverty reduction and rural development.
He said this shift provides Pakistan with an opportunity to address longstanding socioeconomic challenges while narrowing its human capital gap and ensuring that the benefits of bilateral cooperation reach communities at the grassroots level.
According to Khan, Pakistan can derive maximum benefit by aligning its national development priorities with people-centred initiatives that improve livelihoods, create employment, strengthen human capital and build more resilient local communities.
He added that expanding Pakistan-China cooperation beyond traditional infrastructure into sectors that directly improve citizens’ well-being would make bilateral collaboration more inclusive, sustainable and beneficial for ordinary people.
