Poor eye care risk blindness, experts warn

The warning came as NOA, Abuja chapter, conducted free eye tests for some 2,000 residents of Abuja on World Sight Day, and provided free glasses and medication.Chairman of NOA in Abuja, Dr Damian Echendu, lamented that many Nigerians were reluctant to routinely test their sight, warning that several eye problems emerge without prior symptoms and […]

The warning came as NOA, Abuja chapter, conducted free eye tests for some 2,000 residents of Abuja on World Sight Day, and provided free glasses and medication.
Chairman of NOA in Abuja, Dr Damian Echendu, lamented that many Nigerians were reluctant to routinely test their sight, warning that several eye problems emerge without prior symptoms and could cause blindness.
Recent surveys have shown large proportion of Nigeria’s adult population of working age face common eye problems—other than refractive errors that come with age.
Secretary of the association, Dr Adesuwa Ogli, insisted that while sight commonly worsens with age, neglecting eye tests could lead to reduced productivity due to poor sight.
She noted that it was ironic that many Nigerians were reluctant to undergo eye tests and use corrective lenses on account of concern that they would be deemend unfashionable and unproductive because of glasses.
She said: “If glasses mean your driver see better or you spend less time staring at your office computer monitor, would you rather wear them?”