1,000 relish free eye care services in Oyo

Nigeria is among the 10 most populated countries in the world. Despite its size, there has not been earlier national estimate of the prevalence and causes of blindness and visual impairment before the Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey which was conducted between 2005 and 2007.

After then, scientifically valid data are available to provide the epidemiological evidence and data needed for eye care planning, priority setting; advocacy and for measuring the impact of service delivery in Nigeria. The data also contributes towards the global database of blindness, which is being used for global planning, advocacy, resource mobilisation, and to monitor VISION 2020 initiatives.

Findings revealed that 1.13 million individuals aged 40 years are currently blind in Nigeria, as an additional 2.7 million adults aged 40 years are estimated to have moderate visual impairment. An additional 400,000 adults are severely visually impaired, while 4.25 million adults aged 40 years are visually impaired or blind.

Against this background, the Oyo East Local Government, in collaboration with Eye Clinic, Iseyin, an arm of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo, both in Oyo State, recently organised a two-day Free Eye Screening, Testing and Surgeries for over 1,000 residents.

The programme which held at the Oba Adeyemi Hospital, Durbar, Oyo Town, witnessed large turnout of residents, mostly adults and the aged.

In his address, caretaker Chairman of the Local Government, Mr. Abiodun Sarafadeen Adebayo, said eyes are important parts of human health.

He stated that people use their eyes to see and have a sense of the world around them, adding that some eye diseases can lead to vision loss. As a result of this, he said, there is the need to identify and treat eye diseases as early as possible.

This, Adebayo noted, informed the decision of the local government to sensitise and assist the impoverished ones who have one eye problem or the other.

He said: “We should get our eyes checked as often as our health care provider recommends it, or if we have any new visual problems. Just as it is important to keep our body healthy, we also need to keep our eyes healthy.”

In an interview with reporters, the Administrator and Matron of Eye Clinic located in Iseyin, Reverend Sister Lucia Akinnusoye, said everyone needs to have their eyesight tested to check eye problems.

Children usually have visual screening in school or at their health care provider’s office during a check-up, adding that adults may also get visual screenings during their check-ups.

“But many adults need more than visual screening. They need a comprehensive dilated eye examination. Getting comprehensive dilated eye examinations is especially important because some eye diseases may not have warning signs. The examinations are the only way to detect the diseases in their early stages, when they are easier to treat. The examination includes several tests: A visual field test to measure your side (peripheral) vision. A loss of peripheral vision may be a sign of glaucoma. A visual acuity test, where you read an eye chart about 20 feet away, to check on how well you see at various distances .

“If you have a refractive error and are going to need glasses, then you will also have a refraction test. When you have this test, you look through a device that has lenses of different strengths to help your eye care professional figure out which lenses will give you the clearest vision.”

Continuing, Akinnusoye said: “At what age one should start getting these

examinations and how often one needs them depends on many factors. They include age, race, and overall health’’.

On the way out of eye diseases, the expert counselled thus, “there are things you can do to help keep your eyes healthy and make sure you are seeing your best. These include eating of  a healthy, balanced diet, maintain a healthy weight, get regular exercise, wearing of sun glasses, wearing of  protective eye wear, avoid smoking, knowing of one’s family health history, and knowing of other risk factors’’.

She said: “As you get older, you are at higher risk of developing age-related eye diseases and conditions. It is important to know your risk factors because you may be able to lower your risk by changing some behaviours. If you wear contacts, take steps to prevent eye infections. Wash your hands well before you put in or take out your contact lenses. Also follow the instructions on how to properly clean them, and replace them when there is need. Give your eyes a rest. If you

spend a lot of time using a computer, you can forget to blink your eyes and your eyes can get tired. To reduce eyestrain, try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look away about 20 feet in front of you for 20 seconds’’.

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