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A public health professional and Country Director of Sightsavers Nigeria, Dr Joy Shu’aibu, said two-thirds of children and adults who require glasses to help them see clearly, do not have access to the glasses.
Shu’aibu said this in a statement on Thursday to commemorate World Sight Day.
The second Thursday of October is WSD. It is an opportunity to highlight the importance of protecting our eyes and vision, raise awareness of vision impairment and blindness, and promote eye and vision care.
Shu’aibu said, “Two-thirds of children and adults who require glasses to help them see clearly, do not have access to these glasses. The same can be said of other eye conditions like cataracts, (a condition children can be born with) where a significant proportion of people especially living in rural communities are unable to get the treatment they need.”
Globally, there are 1.1 billion people who have an untreated or preventable visual impairment.
In Nigeria, in 2020, there were an estimated 24 million people with vision loss, and of these 1.3 million people are blind or have moderate to severe vision impairment from cataract or refractive error.
The Sightsavers is, however, calling for better access to eye health services for everyone from children to the elderly.
“Vision problems don’t just affect the elderly, a common misconception. Everyone, at some point, needs support to maintain good eye health: to see the board at school, to drive and work, and for independence later in life. Yet eye health is a neglected area of healthcare, and people are struggling unnecessarily with avoidable blindness and vision impairment.
“This year for World Sight Day, Sightsavers is supporting several activities under the Plateau Inclusive Eye Health Programme. A comprehensive eye health initiative in Jos and Shendam will include screenings for up to 700 pupils, eye health education for teachers, and the provision of glasses.
“Roadshows and media engagements will raise awareness at state and local levels, with visits to the Ministry of Education and state universal basic education board health promotion officers will lead community campaigns, advocating traditional rulers and local institutions. Additionally, a medical and surgical outreach is planned for Quanpan in collaboration with the state government and partners,” she said.
Shu’aibu added that the events will celebrate the achievements made and raise awareness of the eye health crisis we face globally and in Nigeria.
“We have made great progress to meet the challenges, with governments, donors, decision-makers, NGOs, and other partners collaborating to improve access to quality and affordable eye health services for everyone. But big changes are still needed to make avoidable vision impairment truly avoidable.
“Across the world, the avoidable vision issues of cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors, such as short-sightedness, are the leading causes of blindness and vision impairment respectively.
“Addressing the world’s eye health issues would cost just a sixteenth of the annual global productivity loss due to visual impairment. For example, having the right glasses could help people increase their earnings by a third, in turn boosting the economy. Yet, most people don’t have access to the glasses they need, and children with vision impairment in low- and middle-income countries are up to five times less likely to be in formal education, impacting their prospects,” she stated.
