Mysore/Mysuru: Maintaining that over 8,500 school children from across the State are visually impaired, DDPI H.K. Pandu said that 850 such children are in Mysuru district alone.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, Pandu said that of late, children are getting addicted to mobile phone, which has contributed to visual impairment in a young age. Expressing concern over rising number of school children wearing glasses, he said that awareness programmes are being launched to educate the school children on the need for having better eyesight and to shun addiction to cell phones and online games.

Noting that all the BEOs of the district have been directed to organise awareness programmes, he said the Department has already evolved programmes to bring the 850 bespectacled children out of cell phone addiction.