Optometrists advise Nigerians on eye Care

The Nigerian Optometric Association, NOA, has called for more awareness on eye health and vision care among the populace with a view to preventing blindness through knowledge and information. In a statement to announce activities to mark this year’s World Sight Day in collaboration with the Federal Road Safety Corp, FRSC, the National President of NOA, Dr. Damian Echendu said out of the 285 million, 80 percent of it can be preventable, adding that 4 out of 5 blind people are needlessly impaired.   Echendu hinted that this year’s celebration will focus on enlightening members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW. “Good eyesight and visual perception are fundamentals for safe driving and over 90 percent of decisions made behind the wheels depend on good vision.  An estimated 23 percent of drivers worldwide have uncorrected vision and need spectacle correction to improve visual capacity while driving and an estimated 59 percent of accidents could be linked to causes associated with poor sight such as failure to use corrective lenses or glare related reasons.” “The theme of this year’s World Sight Day is “Stronger Together”. World Sight Day (WSD) is marked globally on every second Thursday of October annually and this year’s event will be holding on Thursday, October 13, 2016.”