World Sight Day:700 benefit from free eye care

World Sight Day:700 benefit from free eye care

 

From left, Mrs Atinuke Awojobi; Vision Spring representative, Mrs. Tinuke Adeyinka and Group Medical Director, Eleta Eye Institute, Dr. Gboyega Ajayi at the World Sight day eye outreach in Eruwa, recently.

For the prevention of blindness and awareness drive on visual impairment, the Eleta Eye Institute in collaboration with Vision Spring ensured that 700 individuals in Eruwa and its suburb benefited from free eye examination and the provision of reading glasses.

Group Medical Director, Eleta Eye Institute, Dr. Gboyega Ajayi speaking at the sideline of the free eye outreach and rally to mark the 2021 World Sight Day (WSD) stated that rural communities were disadvantaged when it comes to the provision of eye care.

Dr Ajayi declared, “the eye specialists are not even there, so patients are suffering. That makes it very bad. Now the situation is getting worse because we are not even having enough doctors for training in ophthalmologists.”

According to him, reducing the disparity in access to eye care services and encouraging preventive eye health, especially in rural areas, require that the government integrates primary eye health care into a well developed primary health care system.

Vision Spring representative, Mrs. Tinuke Adeyinka stated that it is important that all Nigerians in marking World Sight Day make a commitment to having an eye check done, love their eyes and encourage their neighbours to also have an eye test.

Mrs Atinuke Awojobi, the Chief Executive Officer of Awojobi Clinic, in her remarks said that awareness on eye health is high in the community but people are restrained from accessing eye services due to cost.

AM Eye Clinic’s Manager, Mr Francis Alalade stated that “Individuals above the age of 40 need to have regular eye pressure checks because glaucoma can destroy optic nerves, causing irreversible blindness.”

Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan Diocese, Bishop Gabriel Abegunde represented by Reverend Father Patrick Odediran said it is possible for an individual to lose the ability to see. He said Eleta Eye Institute is committed to the holistic care of individuals, including the eye outreach to ensure people in the rural areas also benefit from free eye tests and glasses while preventing cases of depression arising from loss of sight.