The Malaysian Association of Practising Opticians (Mapo) which had made the same request during the first MCO, said around 30% of people need spectacles, and this includes Covid-19 frontliners.

“When their glasses break, they are forced to wear old glasses which have outdated prescriptions and could easily cause dizziness and discomfort,” said Mapo president Edmund Teng in a letter to Senior Minister for Security Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

He said this would disrupt the frontliners’ work and put a strain on them.

Teng said in other countries, like Singapore, Australia and the UK, optometry and optical services are considered essential services.

He said without the availability of optometry and optical services, many will resort to “unlawful practice” which puts members of the public at risk.

“We urge the government to categorise optometry and optical services as essential, so as not to increase the risk of public exposure to Covid-19, but to provide a situation that urgent needs can be fulfilled with minimum and controllable risk.”

In the letter posted on Mapo’s Facebook page, Teng also said if optometry and optical services are available, those affected by broken spectacles can get them fixed within an hour or so.