‘Apollo’ hits Enugu, sun glasses business booms

Traders of sun glasses in Enugu State are enjoying a boom in business as the demand for the protective lenses rise, following an outbreak of conjunctivitis, popularly known as Apolo, in parts of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while victims of the eye disease are complaining of the cost, the marketers are smiling to their banks.
Most sun glass shops were seen making brisk businesses, as many customers who wanted to prevent themselves from contacting the eye disease, flooded their shops.
Some sellers of the shade lenses expressed joy over the number of customers coming into their shops to buy the item.
Mr Ebuka Abba, a seller at Ogbete market, said that the last quarter of every year was usually good for sun shade glass dealers.
Abba explained that due to dry season, which is usually characterised by dust, high degree of sun and sometimes ‘Apollo’ necessitated the increase in sun shade glass sales.
Mrs Agatha Uchechi, another seller, pointed out that the prices were affordable, saying it is based on someone’s status, income and as well as the choice of a customer.
“In my shop, I have sun shade glasses ranging from N400 up to N8,000, depending on the customer’s choice.
NAN reports that the demand for sun shades has increased in Enugu, as many residents express fear of contacting conjunctivitis, an eye disease generally called Apollo.
Some residents who came to Ogbete Market to purchase the glasses told NAN that ‘prevention is better than cure’.
They added that the pain and the discomfort from Apollo were too severe for somebody to be careless over his or her eyes.
Mrs Vivian Ude, a banker, said she has to purchase the sun shade to prevent the eye disease because she works in a bank where many people come in for transaction.
“I am a banker and every day I come into contact with many people who come to the bank to transact one business or the other,’’ she said.
Miss Chidiogor Lebechi, a student, said that some of her colleagues had already been infected with the eye disease, saying that she is afraid of contacting same.
“Looking at the way my fellow students were lamenting due to the pain they are undergoing as a result of the ‘Apollo’, I decided to get sun shade glasses for myself.
“I don’t want to have such pain,” she said.
Another buyer, Mr Innocent Ajuluchukwu, a businessman, said it was important for everyone to have sun shade glasses.
According to him, it will help to minimise the level of the sun and dust getting into the eyes, especially during dry season.
But Dr Emeka Ossai, an Ophthalmologist, at the Arema Eye Clinic, Enugu, recommended the use of sun shades during the dry season to reduce spread of conjunctivitis, which he described as an airborne disease.
Ossai gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Friday, in Enugu.
He said the purpose of the sun shade was to reduce the effect of sun on the eyes.
“Sun shade glasses help to reduce the emission from the rays of sun, which also reduces the effect of ultra radiation of the sun.’’
The ophthalmologist said that it was healthy to use sun shades especially now that the dust has increased due to change in weather condition.
According to him, conjunctivitis is caused by bacteria, which can be highly contagious. (NAN)