The eyes are one of the most sensitive parts of the body yet it remains the most neglected. As much as people value eyesight, many do not care about how to maintain their eyes and keep them in perfect condition. On a regular basis, almost all parts of the body including the mouth are well taken care of but the same cannot be said about the eyes.
Even at that, not many believe it is important to have a regular check-up of the eyes just as we do to the body generally.

In a report published by the New Telegraph, titled why more Nigerians (Africans inclusive) will go blind, the following were given as reasons why there might be an increase in blindness:

Optical care

“Many people in Africa do not know what they are supposed to do when they detect anything like blindness and as for those who are supposed to use glasses; many refuse to use the glasses unlike in developed part of the world where people pay more attention to optical care

Vitamin A supplements


“The intake of enough vitamin A supplements is a means of preventing blindness.

Use of eye glasses


“The use of eye glasses is also another way to prevent blindness when it is still correctable but many refuse to adopt this measure mainly due to poverty and illiteracy.

Cataract surgery backlog

When cataract is detected, it is important that an optician is visited on time in order to remove the cataract to avoid blindness.” The experience on ground is that many who have cataract are unable to access surgery because of poverty.

Dearth of eye specialists

An expert, Dr. Adetunji Adenekan, a Consultant Opthalmologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), noted that the percentage of people with eye problems is higher than that of the experts available to treat them. “We need more specialists in the Optician Departments. Most people go abroad to get trained and come back to Nigeria to practice.

Shortage of facilities

According to Adenekan, “there are no facilities and equipment for them to carry out their duties which is a very challenging problem that needs urgent attention from the government.” The consultant ophthalmologist noted that blindness problem is gradually becoming a national challenge especially because it involves both children and adults.

He said: “There are many diseases like glaucoma and river blindness that can also cause blindness. Some of them are due to poverty. “Health generally is something that has to be given serious attention but the poverty in Africa is a major reason why many people do not pay attention to their health,”Kufo added. “Before a person can be said to be blind, there would be poor level of visual activities which the person would experience. “People that have low vision ability could also be regarded as blind.

“Those who are supposed to use glasses and refuse to use it can also go blind permanently but when the glasses are used, it may correct the eye problem. “People who have cataract induced blindness can visit an optician who would surgically remove the cataract and this would correct the eye problem thereby preventing such a person from going blind. Once the cataract is removed the person is expected to regain sight immediately.”

The cataract is the only thing preventing light from entering the eye, Kufo said, adding, “Therefore blindness from cataract is reversible.” As for people who go blind as a result of glaucoma, he said such blindness cannot be reversed. “In this type of blindness the optic nerve is totally damaged.” Similarly, he said some blindness is as a result of diabetes which is very common in this part of the world because of poverty. “Another type of blindness is the age related macular degeneration, which develops as a result of old age. When people are getting old, there is tendency for them to go blind.”
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