By Olokuta Rofiat
An estimated 23 million Nigerians, representing about 25 percent of the population, are living with eye-related ailments, experts revealed at a free medical outreach in Abeokuta on Sunday.
Founder of the Ade Ti De Development Initiative, Adedayo Adelanwa, described the figure as alarming, warning that unchecked cases could hamper national productivity.
He called for urgent interventions to curb avoidable blindness in the country.
Dr. Richard Ojeme, Lead Optometrist at the programme, identified refractive errors and glaucoma as the leading causes of visual impairment.
He noted that about 77.9 percent of recorded cases were mild and stressed that the World Health Organisation (WHO), has projected the eradication of avoidable blindness globally by 2040.
The outreach, which targeted 1,000 patients, had already treated more than 600, distributed 500 eyeglasses, and provided medications, while pledging to sponsor 50 free surgeries.
One beneficiary, Adebayo Adedeji, praised the organisers, noting that the initiative came at a time when many Nigerians could not afford quality eye care due to the harsh economic climate.
