Have your eyes tested at least once a year, Women Optometrists urges Nigerians
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Offers free eye care in Lagos
Women Optometrists in Nigeria, WON, have charged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of examining their eyes at least, once in a year to avoid needless blindness in the country.
The association made the call on Tuesday when it paid a courtesy visit to HRH Olori Sekinat Aramide Elegushi of Ikate Kingdom. The group also engaged in vision screening of the indigent citizens of Ikate community at the palace of Oba Elegushi in Eti-Osa LGA Lagos.
Educating the residents on how to take care of their eyes, WON regrets that most Nigerians do not take care of their eyes and a lot of them visit specialists when their eye sight is already too bad and sometimes beyond restoration.
National President of the association, Dr Adesuwa Ogli said: “It doesn’t cost much to have an eye test. I don’t think there’s any general hospital that takes more than N1000 for an eye check. So, it is a culture that we must begin to apply.
“As an adult who is over 40 years, you should check your eyes at least once a year.
She emphasized that eye check is not limited to adults alone.
Ogli said: “If you have a school age child, you should check that child’s vision before the child goes to school because 80 percent of what a child learns is visual.
“A lot of children termed as ‘dull’ are children who probably have poor vision and could not see the black board. Vision impacts learning and they’re tied together. “Most children who have eye problems do not even realize it because as a child who is growing up, you will think the way you see is the way everybody sees.
“So, my message is to the women, take your children, your school age children for eye check before they go to school,” she advised.
She also charged mothers to stop putting breast milk, concoctions, sugar water in the eyes when there is an “apollo,” describing these as harmful practices capable of damaging the eyes.
In the same vein, Vice President of WON, Dr Ogechi Nwokedi, urged them to stop patronizing quacks.
She said: “There are some people that call themselves eye doctors but they are not. They are in many corners but are not trained eye doctors. Stop going to them when you have any problems.”
Similarly, Chairperson, Lagos State WON Chapter, Dr Priscilia Imade, said: “We are are giving free glasses, drugs to those who need them. We are also reaching out to them with the message of eye care. Our aim is that no woman should go blind.”
In appreciation, the queen of Ikate Kingdom, Olori Sekinat Aramide Elegushi, lauded the visit of WON.
She was optimistic that the initiative will bring a lot succour to the indigent people in her kingdom.
She said: “I am honored and happy that they chose Ikate Elegushi as the first place they will come in Eti-Osa LGA.
May God continue to help them in all their endeavours and help them to do more of this in Eti-Osa LGA. And I hope to be in good partnership with them in the nearest future,” she added.
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