Izumiotsu City and Rohto Pharmaceutical Launch "Children's My Future Eye Project" to Protect Children's Eye Health and Future

Background of the Project

In August 2023, Rohto Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and Izumiotsu City signed a comprehensive partnership agreement to realize a "well-being" society. Since then, they have been working on initiatives to promote health, conducting eye care classes at ICT model schools, and raising awareness at events. In modern society, the environment surrounding children's eyes has changed dramatically due to the spread of smartphones and tablets, and the issue of children's eye health has become serious.
In Izumiotsu City, the GIGA School Initiative, which aims to provide "one device per child," has been promoted since fiscal year 2021. While it is expected that the use of images and videos in easy-to-understand lessons will improve children's motivation to learn, the environment surrounding children's eyes is changing dramatically. In particular, the utilization rate of ICT equipment in Izumiotsu City is significantly higher than the national average and the Osaka Prefecture average. In fiscal year 2023, the utilization rate among elementary school students was 63.0%, which is a very high level compared to the national average of 28.2% and the Osaka Prefecture average of 24.9%.
Amidst these circumstances, Rohto Pharmaceutical has been conducting an experiential exhibition themed "Future Eye Care" at the Osaka Healthcare Pavilion of the Osaka-Kansai Expo. Moving forward, we plan to collect and analyze data related to eye and other health issues, and use the insights gained to contribute to the advancement of healthcare and to the next generation.
Leveraging this knowledge, we will collaborate with Izumiotsu City to promote initiatives that protect and nurture the eye health of children, who will shape the future, throughout the entire community. Through this project, we aim to encourage children to take an interest in their own eye health, raise awareness of the importance of their eyes and the significance of prevention and eye care, and encourage the habit of eye care, thereby contributing to the creation of a "well-being" community.

Main initiatives of the "Kodomo MY Mirai Ai Project"

In this project, we will leverage Rohto Pharmaceutical's expertise and the unique characteristics of Izumiotsu City to implement the following initiatives in collaboration.

1. Implementation of eye care lessons using "Rohto Eye Care Teaching Materials": This program targets elementary school students in grades 4-6 and aims to help them understand the importance of their eyes and learn "eye care skills"—how to use digital devices appropriately—in a fun way through the teaching materials.
   
2. Distribution of a guidebook on children's eye health: A guidebook on eye health will be distributed to children and their guardians upon their entry into elementary school, with the aim of raising awareness of eye health.
   
3. Plastic Waste Collection x Art: We collect eye drop containers and promote activities to protect the health of eyes and the planet through the creation of art pieces using recycled plastic and workshops.

schedule

Future outlook

This project, as one of the legacy initiatives to give back to the community the knowledge and experience gained from the Osaka-Kansai Expo, aims not merely to raise awareness, but to create opportunities for children to take an interest in their own eye health and proactively care for it. Using our collaboration with Izumiotsu City as a model, we will expand this initiative to partnerships with municipalities nationwide, contributing to the development of children's eye health, healthy growth, and future possibilities.