Foundation offers free eye screening to indigents in Lagos

Over 100 indigent residents of Alagomeji community in Yaba, Lagos benefited from free eye service during a medical outreach organised by an Islamic resource centre for the blind, Jubrila Ayinla Foundation. The one-day medical outreach, organised to commemorate World Sight Day, witnessed screening and treatment of eye-related issues and distribution of white canes to the […]

Over 100 indigent residents of Alagomeji community in Yaba, Lagos benefited from free eye service during a medical outreach organised by an Islamic resource centre for the blind, Jubrila Ayinla Foundation.

The one-day medical outreach, organised to commemorate World Sight Day, witnessed screening and treatment of eye-related issues and distribution of white canes to the blind.

Speaking with Daily Trust, a trustee of the foundation, Alhaja Khadija Fashina, urged well-meaning Nigerians to reach out to the less privileged, saying the number of the blind begging on the streets would reduce tremendously if they were given productive training.

Fashina lamented that many blind children are kept at home by their parents without formal education and skills.

“Parents need to understand that there is ability in disability. There is vision without sight. They can have mobility even in their disability to make them have an independent life,” he said.

A Consultant Ophthalmologist, Dr Akinremi Sikirat, urged Nigerians with a family history of glaucoma to go for eye tests regularly to avoid going blind.

“Someone who already has an eye problem will need to visit the hospital anytime the doctor fixes an appointment while those without eye defect can visit the hospital once a year or once in two years.

“For those who are blind, they should only go for an eye check if they have a complaint but for those who are visually impaired, they should keep to the doctor’s appointment because visual impairment does not mean the person is blind, instead it means the person has vision to some extent but not totally blind. Some improve by vision aids,” she said.