About 200,000 Nigerians may become visually impaired by 2020

Dr. Olufemi Babalola, a  University  lecturer who spoke at this year’s 15th Annual Faculty Lecture and Launching of N50 million faculty endowment fund of the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria, Faculty of Ophthalmology, said the figure may increase to 200,000 by 2020.The implication according to Dr. Olufemi Babalola, is that one out of […]

Dr. Olufemi Babalola, a  University  lecturer who spoke at this year’s 15th Annual Faculty Lecture and Launching of N50 million faculty endowment fund of the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria, Faculty of Ophthalmology, said the figure may increase to 200,000 by 2020.
The implication according to Dr. Olufemi Babalola, is that one out of every 800 Nigerians is at risk of serious visual impairment from glaucoma.
According to him, glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness globally and early detection he said is the only way out.
Babalola therefore urged people above 40years of age to have their eyes checked once a year.
He said, “Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness globally. In Nigeria, it is estimated that about 150,000 people are severely usually impaired and blind due to glaucoma, and by 2020, there will be a projected increase to over 200,000 (kyari et al). This means that one out of every 800 Nigerians is at the risk of serious visual impairment from glaucoma.”
He further described the disease as  “if glaucoma is the slow thief of sight we all know it to be, the only  clear-cut way to prevent this is early detection.”
In treatment of glaucoma, the don advocated for the use of lasers in eye treatment (glaucoma) in the country.
He explained that the laser beam which is in form of light produced by the stimulation of certain substances.
Laser was first used for military purposes but over the years it has become widely used in medicine for such applications as the management of kidney stones, dermatological problems and management of diabetes.
In his lecture, he said glaucoma is a progressive disease of the optic nerve in which relatively raised intra optic pressure is the most important risk factor.