A Consultant Ophthalmologist Pediatrician, Doctor Sarah Badmus, has called on the Nigerian government to introduce a policy mandating eye examination for children from preschool age.
She was delivering a lecture organized to mark the 2024 World Sight Day at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex Ile-Ife.
Eyes are often called the mirrors of the soul, but they are much more than that.
They are vital to how we engage with the world, influencing how we learn, work, and experience life.
Yet, millions of people around the world, including Nigeria especially children, are losing the ability to see clearly, with devastating consequences on their health, education, and economic prospects.
This year’s World Sight Day is an opportunity to debunk myths regarding vision and move towards a world where all children are free from any form of eye problem
In her lecture, titled Eye Health Education for Children and Adolescents, Doctor Sarah Badmus emphasised the importance of regular eye check-ups, early intervention in eye conditions, and prevention of avoidable blindness.
The Chairman, Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria, Professor Bernice Adegbeyingbe, urged parents to take responsibility for monitoring children’s eye health right from birth to adulthood.
The world Sight Day which is celebrated on the second Thursday of October each year, is a global initiative aimed at raising awareness about blindness and vision impairment.
