Optometrists, under the auspices of the Nigerian Optometric Association, Lagos State branch, have called on the three tiers of government to establish eye clinics in communities across the country.
The eye specialists also charged the Federal Government to incorporate eye examination into the newborn screening programmes in public hospitals.
The Registrar, Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Board of Nigeria, Dr. Sam Ntem, who spoke at the Annual Scientific Conference of the association in Lagos on Wednesday, said availability of eye clinics in urban and rural areas would prevent many Nigerians from going blind.
He noted that there was an acute shortage of eye clinics and eye specialists, especially in rural areas.
Also, the guest lecturer and a consultant optometrist, Dr. Ngozi Musa, noted that screening newborns before they are discharged from the hospital would aid early detection and treatment of many congenital eye diseases.
According to her, low vision, which leads to loss of eyesight when left untreated, can be detected in babies as early as six months and corrected in affected children with aggressive treatment.
She said, “Low vision makes everyday task very difficult. You won’t see what is far or near clearly. It could affect a child’s education because he/she will find it difficult to learn, read and even write well.
“Mothers must monitor their babies to spot it early. There is also a need for government to provide appropriate evaluation, management and rehabilitative services for affected children. Access to comprehensive optometric care can significantly improve the quality of life for visually-impaired children.”
She advised mothers to adopt healthy lifestyles during pregnancy in order to reduce babies’ risk of developing congenital eye diseases.
BY BUKOLA ADEBAYO
Punch
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