THE Nigerian Optometrist Association, NOA, a professional body that cares for the eye, has said that one out of every four Nigerian children of school age struggles with learning due to undiagnosed visual issues.
At the national delegates congress and glaucoma symposium of the association in Awka, Amambra State, the president of NOA, Dr Chimeziri Anderson also said there is need for great emphasis on the care for the eye, particularly among the children to ensure that every child has access to good vision and comprehensive eye examination.
According to him, it was for that reason that Nigerian Optometrists have launched a programme, “My Sight My Right” initiative, which aims to provide free eye health services to children to address their vulnerability and lack of control over healthcare decisions, often due to financial constraints or lack of awareness by their parents or guardians.
He said: “Initially launched in 2018 to commemorate the association’s 50th anniversary, the project aimed to offer free vision care to 40,000 Nigerian children aged 5-14 years. Despite the initial success, the programme was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, it is being relaunched with renewed vigour.
“We are targeting children because they are a vulnerable population, often not in control of their eye healthcare choices. “Many children do not have health insurance and their complaints may not be prioritized by parents/guardians due to financial constraints or lack of adequate awareness.
“Most eye conditions become chronic if failed to be detected and managed early.
“Children are the future of any nation and graduate to be the productive population. Ensuring optimum eye health among children is crucial for their education, productivity, and social well-being.
“Vision problems can contribute to school dropouts, juvenile delinquency, redundancy and other associated societal issues, making it essential to provide children with comprehensive eye care services”.
He explained that the NOA My Sight- My Right project was conceptualized and executed for free eye health check for children every Friday in all volunteered eye clinics run by Optometrists across the nation, adding that the target was to screen 50,000 children and offer them treatments and eye glasses.
“We are ultimately targeting 10 million children across Nigeria to be screened and those who need glasses will get it free of charge.
“A total budget of N100 million will be required to meet this target, knowing full well that the underserved children reside in the rural areas and villages.
“By engaging in this project, we are addressing the huge burden of refractive error, especially myopia and its consequences, as well as improving the standard of living of the average Nigerian child.
“We understand that we may have a potential challenge which is finance, but above that is the superstitious belief of the parents and misconceptions about poor eye sight and health seeking behaviour of our people.
“Some parents have vehemently refused their children wearing glasses on the bases that it is too early or the eye will get worst.
“These perceptions are unfounded and scientifically incorrect, however it shows the additional work of awareness and communication associated with rendering this noble task”, Anderson said.
While urging all Optometrists to see the project as an opportunity to give back to the society what God has blessed them with, he also called on philanthropists, government agencies and international donor agencies to support the association.
He called on the Anambra State governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, to declare eye check for children free of charge in the state, even as he requested for employment of more Optometrists at the primary level with adequate remunerations to motivate them.
In his keynote speech, the national coordinator for Eye Health at the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Okoro Emeh described glaucoma as the ‘silent thief of sight’, calling on government at all levels to fight it with every seriousness it deserves.
