The Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Optometric Association has called on Nigerians to pay more attention to their eyes in order to prevent avoidable blindness, as statistics reveal that over 1, 000, 000 Nigerian adults are blind and another 3, 000, 000 are visually impaired.
This call is coming ahead of the 2014 World Sight Day, that is usually celebrated every second Thursday of October.
In this year’s commemoration which falls on October 9, the NOP is joining the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (an alliance of civil society organisations, corporate and professional bodies promoting eye health through advocacy, knowledge and partnerships) and other national agencies to mark this year’s Sight Day.
According to the chairperson of the association, Dr. Ogechi Nwokedi, there will be a rally at the Ojodu retail market to sensitise the public on the need to care for the eyes.
She said, “We will be organising a rally at a market; that’s the Ojodu retail market to sensitise the public on the need to care for the eyes and we have a continuing education programme the next day, October 10.”
Nwokedi said this year’s celebration was set aside worldwide to re-sensitise the public on avoidable blindness and what they can do individually to prevent blindness.
As stated in a survey of blindness and low vision which was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Health and supported by the non-governmental organisation, Sightsavers which focuses on blindness and visual impairment prevention and correction, 42 out every 100 adults aged 40 and above are blind.
“Overall, two out of three Nigerians are blind from causes which could be avoided, such as cataract, which is the single commonest cause of blindness,” the report noted.
The Country Representative of the NGO, Dr. Elizabeth Elhassan, said concerning the growing rate of blindness in the country, “Nigerians now account for one in five Africans and the survey indicates the growing and urgent need to increase access to eye care as well as the importance of reaching people who are illiterate.”
According to Sightsavers, the survey has helped in treating low vision and in some cases restoring lost sight.
“As a direct result of the survey, over 3,500 cataract operations were performed, 5, 8000 pairs of reading glasses dispensed, more than 200 pairs of aphakic glasses (for people who are missing a lens in their eyes) distributed at no cost, and thousands with minor ailments were treated,” the NGO said.
It added that blindness was almost three times more common in the “dry northern areas than in southern delta areas,” noting that illiterate participants “were twice as likely to be blind as those who were literate.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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