As the World Sight Day is celebrated globally, the Rotary Club of Ibadan, City Central, on Thursday, conducted free screening and distributed eye glasses and drugs to 300 beneficiaries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gesture, which was in collaboration with the Gbenjo Foundation, a Non Governmental Organisation, is to commemorate this year’s World Sight Day
The theme of the year 2020 World Sight is “Hope is sight’’.
Addressing newsmen, the President of the club, Mrs Morenike Barlatt-hughes, said that the club partnered with the foundation to organise the programme in order to impart on the people of the community.
Barlatt-hughes said that the gesture was targeted at drivers and other individuals in the society in order to reduce the increasing rate of eye problems on the people.
She said that commercial drivers were at risk of having bad eyes due to over exposure to dust and smoke.
The Rotary president said that the inability of drivers to see clearly could result to accidents occasioning loss of lives and properties.
“This outreach is targeted at over 300 beneficiaries who will undergo free eye screening, provided with free drugs and as well be given glasses if need arises.
“The aim of this gesture is for people to have good sight’’, Barlatt-hughes said.
Also, an Ophthalmologist, Dr Aniyikaye Olawale called on people to always take care of their eyes and eat fruits rich in Vitamin A and other supplements.
Olawale said a lot of eye problems are caused as a result of dust, smoke and stress of the eyes due to long use of laptops and handsets.
The ophthalmologist called on Okada riders to always put on glasses while on bike in order to prevent dust from entering their eyes.
“People should try and wear reading glasses while using laptops to prevent pressure on the eye.
“Anyone noticing any problem on the eye should see a specialist because prevention is better than cure.
“The rate of eye problem is increasing in Nigeria because people fail to take precautionary measures, there fruits rich in Vitamin A and other supplements that can prevent eye problem which they are advised to eat,’’ he said.
One of the beneficiaries, Mr Babatunde Oguniyi, commended the organisers of the programme for the gesture.
Oguniyi said he usually found it difficult to read with his eye, but was now able to ready clearly with aid of the free eye glasses given to him.
He called on state and Federal Governments to organise such outreaches in order to assist the less privileged who have eye problem and cannot afford to go to the hospital for treatment.(NAN)
