Linggo, Marso 8, 2026

World Hearing Day

Observed every year on March 3rd, World Hearing Day is the largest global awareness campaign for ear and hearing care. It is organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) to address the growing global burden of unaddressed hearing loss.

​👂 World Hearing Day 2026

​The theme for 2026 is "From communities to classrooms: hearing care for all children."

​This year’s campaign shifts the focus heavily toward the youth, emphasizing that a child’s ability to hear is directly tied to their ability to learn, socialize, and succeed in life.

​Key Objectives for 2026:

  • Prevent Avoidable Loss: Highlighting that over 60% of childhood hearing loss is preventable through public health measures (like immunizations and improved maternal care).
  • Early Identification: Pushing for systematic screening in schools to catch hearing issues before they impact a child's development.
  • Integration: Encouraging governments to weave hearing care into existing school and primary health programs.

​📉 Global Impact & Statistics

​Hearing loss is often called an "invisible disability," but its impact is massive:

  • 90 Million: The number of children and adolescents (ages 5–19) currently living with hearing loss worldwide.
  • US$1 Trillion: The estimated annual global cost of unaddressed hearing loss.
  • The 3/3 Connection: The date March 3 (3/3) was originally chosen because the numbers resemble the shape of two ears.

​💡 How to Participate

​Whether you are a healthcare professional or just an interested individual, you can contribute to the movement:

  1. Screening: Use the WHO's hearWHO app to check your own hearing or encourage a friend to do so.
  2. Safe Listening: Practice the "60/60 rule"—listen at no more than 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time.
  3. Advocacy: Use the hashtag #WorldHearing Day or #HearingCare to share educational materials.

Biyernes, Hulyo 19, 2024

Newborn Hearing Screening

 After a year, we analyzed our data on newborn hearing screening if how compliant the parents are in bringing back their children for follow up check as needed. See the chart for 2023:


It shows very low compliance rate. It's even 0 for the 3rd test. So how are we going to identify early if the baby is indeed with hearing loss? It defeats the purpose of this republic act if parents do not submit their baby for the re-testing needed.


Children need good vision

Ngaa kinahanglan maayo ang panan-aw sang kabataan? Kay wala na sila idea kung ang ila vision is normal o indi until matsek sila. So, ipakonsulta sa doktor sa mata ang imo bata para makasigurado nga okay ang iya vision. 

We also do eye and ear screening every Wednesday at 08:00 A.M. We can check their vision. Bring them to our Vision and Hearing Center. We are located across Bacolod Diagnostic Center, very near the Riverside hospital. #magingMATAlino


Cataract Surgery

 Cataract surgery improves vision and quality of life. 

Do not spend your days in the dark when you can see better. May ara kami weekly screening kada Miercoles sang aga. Wala requirement. Libre ang screening. Kadto lang. alas otso bukas na kami. #LoveYour Eyes


Martes, Hulyo 2, 2024

Financial Report 2023

Sharing with you our audited 2023 Financial Report.























 

Steps sa aming Vision and Hearing Screening

 Kung may mababago man dito, depende lang yan sa sitwasyon pero overall, ito talaga ang steps na sinusunod namin sa bawas vision and hearing screening. Sa Center man o sa Community. Kung sa palagay mo, may na-missed kang step, magtanong lang sa aming mga staff.




Our 2023 output

We analyzed the data we have in 2023 in our Vision and Hearing Center. Interesting. Here, enjoy the infographic.
Key information found:
  • Mas bata na ngayon ang nagkakaroon ng #katarata. 
  • Hindi rason ang edad o matanda basta gusto pa uling makakita.
  • Pinakamataas pa rin ang edad 60-69 na nagpapaopera
  • Mas mataas ang kababaehan na nag-a-access ng ating mga serbisyo
  • Bacolod City pa rin ang majority na pinanggagalingan ng pasyente
  • Mga Maretes (Mare, ano ang latest?) pa din ang dahilan bakit dumadami ang mga taong nakakaalam sa amin. Kaya salamat sa inyo. ;)

 #LoveYourEyes #magingMATAlino

Martes, Agosto 15, 2023

Paano i-manage ang #Tinnitus?

Ways to manage tinnitus

1. Learn to relax

Sometimes worrying about tinnitus can make it more noticeable, so learning to relax can help provide relief. Slowing down the rate of breathing and relaxing your muscles are examples of simple relaxation exercises you can try.

2. Avoid silence

Increasing the ambient noise can help you stop focusing on your tinnitus. Some people find playing background music or other regular sound can be beneficial.

3. Protect your hearing but avoid overuse of earplugs

Protect your hearing when you are in a particularly noisy environment. However, do not be tempted to wear earplugs away from these situations.

4. Keep active

It is important to try to keep active and involved in your usual activities or hobbies as this can help to take your focus away from your tinnitus.

5. Keep healthy

Obviously, being as healthy as possible is good for your general well being.  If you find certain foods or drinks or activities seem to aggravate your tinnitus, consider reducing them. There are several therapies available now which have been shown to provide long-term and consistent relief from tinnitus. You should seek help from a tinnitus specialist who may be able to provide one of these therapies or help you choose a hearing device which can provide relief from tinnitus. 

How to manage tinnitus - Hearing Link Services

Miyerkules, Hunyo 21, 2023

Partnership with Asian Eye Institute

Found this old article of our collaboration with the Asian Eye Institute in providing eye services to its adopted communities. We are still Cataract Foundation then.


Martes, Hunyo 8, 2021

Annual Report 2020

We thank our Partners, Donors and Stakeholders that amid the pandemic, we are still able to pull through these numbers and able to help people see and hear better. We couldn't achieve this without your valuable support. 

Sharing with you the fruits of our work collaboration and together, let us hope for a better 2021. Onwards to our common vision that No Filipino should go needlessly Deaf/ Blind.

Our programs contribution to SDGs

total beneficiaries of Vision and Hearing health services

cataract and other sight saving surgeries

eye health and gender equality

hearing health and gender equality

Our CoViD19 response

Effects of CoViD19 to our service implementation


Linggo, Oktubre 18, 2020

Check your EYEsight

Gusto mo bang malaman kung kailangan mo ng magpa-appointment sa eye doctor? Subukan mo itong sagutan para malaman. It's a series of 14 questions lang naman. Click lang ang hyperlink sa baba.

20/20 pa ba? 

Miyerkules, Oktubre 14, 2020

Dapat bang gumamit ng anti-rad glasses?

Lately, may mga katanungan akong natatanggap kung okay bang gumamit o bumili ng trend ngayon online na anti-rad (anti-radiation) na salamin? Mahaba talaga ang screen time mo sa mga panahong ito trabaho man o pag-aaral ang dahilan kaya natural lang na pag-isipan kung paano pangalagaan ang ating mga mata. 

Napa-Google tuloy ako kung ano nga ba ang available na rekomendasyon ng ating mga doktor sa mata at napa-click ako dito sa write up mula sa website ng American Academy of Ophthalmology. Pinamakaganda po nating gawin ay sundin kung ano ang ipinapayo ng mga ophthalmologist/ optometrist kasi sila naman ang ating espesyalista sa mata.

Are computer glasses worth it?

Written By: Celia Vimont
Reviewed By: Rahul Khurana, MD
Apr. 27, 2017

Eyeglasses that claim to filter out blue light from computers, smartphones and tablets are becoming increasingly popular. Ads for these glasses claim overexposure to blue light can cause a number of problems. The problems supposedly linked to blue light range from dry eyes to digital eye strain, sleep cycle disruption and even macular degeneration, which causes people to lose some or all of their central vision. However there is no evidence that the kind or amount of light coming from computer screens is damaging to the eyes.

"People are very worried that we're looking at our screens more than we ever did," Academy spokesman Rahul Khurana, MD, told Business Insider. "Everyone is very concerned that it may be harmful to the eye, and it's a valid concern, but there's no evidence it may be causing any irreversible damage."

The Academy does not recommend any special eye wear for computer use.

Should You Be Worried About Blue Light and Computer Radiation?

There is evidence that some kinds of light exposure can cause eye damage under certain conditions. For instance, too much exposure to ultraviolet light from the sun does raise the risks of eye diseases, including cataracts, growths on the eye and cancer.

The amount of radiation coming from a computer has never been demonstrated to cause any eye disease. A study reprinted by the National Library of Medicine found no measurable UVA or UVB radiation from computer monitors. UV radiation is the most harmful part of sunlight for eyes and skin. The Radiation Protection Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology summarizes current research about computer monitors’ radiation by saying that "there are no data to suggest a health risk from exposure to the electromagnetic fields associated with the use of monitors."

Long hours staring at digital screens can cause eye strain, and decreased blinking associated with computer use can cause dry eyes. But these effects are caused by how people use their screens, not by anything coming from the screens.

You can protect your eyes from strain if you work with computers all day:

  • Sit about 25 inches (arm's length) from the computer screen. Position the screen so you are gazing slightly downward.
  • Reduce screen glare by using a matte screen filter if needed.
  • Take regular breaks using the “20-20-20” rule: every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
  • When your eyes feel dry, use artificial tears to refresh them.
  • Adjust your room lighting and try increasing the contrast on your screen to reduce eye strain.
  • If you wear contact lenses, give your eyes a break by wearing your glasses.

Many eye symptoms caused by computer use are only temporary and will lessen after you stop using the computer.

The Academy recommends that everyone get a baseline eye exam by the age of 40. Getting regular comprehensive eye exams from an ophthalmologist is critical to diagnosing any potential eye disease in its early stages.

The Academy also recommends that people over age 65 get an exam every one to two years, even if they have no symptoms of eye problems. 


So, base po sa nabasa natin sa taas, hindi nirirekomenda ng ating mga espesyalista ang anti-rad glasses. Limitahan lang po natin ang exposure at paggamit ng mga gadgets at sundin ang Rule 20-20-20. Ang naglipanang mga anti-rad ngayon sa online shopping ay bahagi pa rin ng negosyo para kumita. Pero ngayong alam mo na, pakisabihan po ang iba. -ror-

Lunes, Oktubre 5, 2020

Blindness and Visual Impairment Prevalence in the Philippines

Sharing here the summary result of the Philippine National Survey of Blindness and Eye Disease study conducted by the Philippine Eye Research Institute for those looking for the latest prevalence on blindness and visual impairments.

Philippine Eye Disease Study result

 

Overall cataract surgeries in the Philippines 2019

PhilHealth listed 105,683 cataract surgeries claims in 2019. EYE hEAR Foundation together with our partners did a total of 8,333 of which 4,464 are non-PhilHealth or did not utilize their PhilHealth. 

In the pie below, it shows that 7% of the total cataract surgeries done was done by us and partners

EYE hEAR Foundation's contributing 7% of the overall cataract surgeries in the Philippines as shown in a pie

Whereas, in the pie chart illustrated below, of our total cataract surgeries output, more than half (56%) did not claim PhilHealth. It does not necessarily mean they are not members of the national health insurance but they could be members but cannot file reimbursement due to the standing circular of PhilHealth that when it's done in an outreach or what they call a 'mission' setup, the doctors or the hospitals cannot claim. May pre-approval po kasi ang cataract surgery na niri-release ng PhilHealth bago mai-skedyul ang operasyon at hindi natin ito magagawa o maaasikaso sa setup ng Outreach. Ang circular na ito at ang isa pang circular na nagsasabing ang ophthalmologist ay maari lamang gumawa ng limampung (50) surgeries sa isang buwan ay halimbawa ng pagkokontrol na nakikita nating hindi makatao at hindi patient-centered na desisyon ng PHilHealth. Para sa amin, isa itong balakid para matamo o maabot natin ang ating hangarin na wala sanang Pilipino na nabubulag na hindi naman dapat. 
Sana marinig at maaksyonan na ang ating matagal ng adbokasiya sa Department of Health at PhilHealth. 
non-PhilHealth is still at 56% out of the total cataract surgeries done

No Filipino should go needlessly blind.

How do we help prevent Blindness

Some of the activities we (used to) do to prevent blindness:

  • Retinopathy of Prematurity Screening and Treatment
  • Vision screening in communities and schools
  • Primary Eye Care training for Information, Education and Campaign
  • Eye surgeries such as cataract, pterygium, glaucoma, squint, etc. with partners or we conduct outreaches in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Area
  • Partnerships and collaboration with other Civil Society Organizations and other groups.
the eye services we provide to prevent blindness