‘90 million people risk total blindness by 2020’

Except stringent measures are taken, more than 90 million people might go blind globally by 2020, the Nigerian Optometric Association warned on Tuesday.

However, over one million Nigerians above age 40 are currently blind, according to a recent survey by the Federal Ministry of Health.

The NOA President, Dr. Damian Echendu, raised the alarm at a briefing to herald the association’s 39th Annual General Meeting and conference, scheduled to commence on Thursday in Abuja.

He said, “Based on a study, no fewer than one million people are blind in Nigeria. These are avoidable cases. Those mostly affected are above 40 years of age. By 2020, if actions are not taken to prevent the avoidable causes of blindness, the number might double.

“Blindness is more prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty, lack of basic amenities and insensitivity of government towards health care workers are among the main causes of blindness in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Echendu therefore called on the government to set up optometry departments in state and federal ministries of health and other tertiary health care institutions in the country.

“While these injustices go on, millions of Nigerians are going blind from simple and avoidable causes and the Nigerian economy is losing productivity. Nigerian-trained optometrists are positioned and ready to provide the professional services needed to enhance and protect the vision and health of the public,” he added.

He also expressed concern over the near absence of employment opportunities for optometrists in public health care facilities and institutions in the country.

Echendu also frowned on inadequate funding of postgraduate optometry training by government, which, he said, had led to lack of research and non-implementation of internship training programmes in public health facilities.