How to prevent blindness by experts

LAGOS, Nigeria – Medical experts have tasked citizens on the need to engage professional eye care practitioners for regular, periodic eye check and treatment services to prevent avoidable blindness and preserve eye sight.

This was made known during a public symposium organized by the Ministry of Health through the Blindness Prevention Program Unit to commemorate 2021 World Sight Day in Lagos State.

Speaking at the symposium, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye said that citizens should always avail themselves of periodic eye check  in order to detect eye defects early enough and seek necessary medical assistance from professionals to avert permanent blindness.

He said: “The World Sight Day is a global celebration targeted towards creating awareness and sensitizing the populace on the importance of taking adequate care of their sight especially in a country where blind people find it difficult to function in every day life.

 “The theme for this year’s celebration – ‘Love Your Eyes, Everyone Counts’, is well thought out as the eye is a very delicate organ that needs proper attention”.

While restating the commitment of the State Government to blindness prevention, Ogboye averred that the annual commemoration of the World Sight Day is not just to create awareness about avoidable blindness but to ensure that various strategies put in place by government is helping to preserve citizens vision.

 He added that the government is doing everything necessary in reducing avoidable blindness by ensuring that defects that leads to blindness are prevented and properly managed.

“A lot of cases of blindness are preventable. The whole point of what we are trying to achieve with the whole work that is going on is to ensure that fewer people lose their sight and continue to be productive”, the Permanent Secretary said.

Speaking in thesame vein, the Director, Medical Administration, Training and Programs, Dr. Funmilayo Shokunbi advised citizens to take the issue of eye care seriously and ensure good personal hygiene and eating foods rich in vitamins A, D, C, E and antioxidants for good vision.

“Everybody more than ever before, needs to love their eyes, take good care of their eyes, maintain good eye sight and know the importance and value of the eyes. Citizens must do everything possible to protect the eyes as they are precious, eat healthy and adopt a healthy living”. She said.

In her lecture, a Consultant Opthalmologist, Prof. Folashade Akinsola, emphasized that residents should seek help only from professionals and from approved eye hospitals or clinics for their care needs. She stressed that patronizing unqualified personnel may cause irreversible damage to the eye.

She also urged members of the public to cultivate an hygienic way of life advising them to always wash their faces with clean water as part of their eye care routine.