The President of the
Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) Dr Obinna Awiaka has urged Nigerians to pay adequate attention to eye care due to the importance of sight to human existence.

Awiaka gave the urge in an interview calling on relevant stakeholders to collaborate in attaining this goal.

The organisation's president urged stakeholders to ensure that eye care is accessible, inclusive and affordable to the citizens.

"The global advocacy in 2021 saw over 3.5 million pledging to prioritise eye health and this will encourage individuals to take appropriate cue.

"A total of about 5 million people were targeted in 2022 and it is of global concern that at least 2.2 billion across the globe people have visual impairment or blindness.

"It is pertinent to clarify that at least one billion of these cases could have been prevented.

Awiaka disclosed that the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness are uncorrected refractive error and cataracts.

"88.4 million out of the one billion people across the globe, have moderate or severe distance vision impairment or blindness due to uncorrected refractive error.

"94 million people suffer from cataract with glaucoma which causes irreversible blindness, accounting for 7.7 million.

"Both conditions among others, are however easily preventable.

He noted that the economic, psychological and social burden of visual impairment continues to re-echo and stare humanity in the face.

"This is because visual impairment and blindness cause a considerable and increasing economic burden which affect persons with vision loss and their families.

"The burden tends to be greater in low- and middle-income countries and underserved populations, such as women, migrants, indigenous peoples among others.

Awiaka said that
the prevalence of distance vision impairment in low to middle income regions including Nigeria, is estimated to be four times higher than high income regions.

"Majority of the people with the visual impairment are over 50 with children not left out.

"One out of every three children in Nigeria has an uncorrected visual impairment which affect school work, learning and recreation.

"This may also affect self esteem but encourage truancy , delinquency and school dropout syndrome".