No fewer than 1 billion persons worldwide are affected with Presbyopia (eye disorder), Dr Tochukwu Onwuzulike, an eye care specialist, has said.
Mr Onwuzulike, an Optometrist with Vision Spring, a Non-Governmental Organisation, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja at the inauguration of free eye care exercise at Apo resettlement, FCT.
Presbyopia is an eye condition in which the eye slowly loses the ability to focus quickly on objects that are close up.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the free eye care exercise was organised by Eye Care Aid Foundation, Vision Spring, with the support of Act Foundation.
Mr Onwuzulike, who is also a business development specialist, said that among the 1 billion affected people, no fewer than 500 million were visually impaired because they lacked access to reading glasses.
He said that the NGOs were concern that no fewer than 2 million Nigerians were visually impaired.
The optometrist said that such figure was scary and that it was a huge problem that needed to be tackled on time
The eye specialist urged people to imbibe the habit of taking care of the eyes and going for test when necessary.
“This occasion is highly significant because it deals with a very big and global problem which is eye care; Eye care has been found to be instrumental to productivity, eye care boost people’s livelihood.
“Eye care boosts the quality of life and even to a large extent, mental health; it is very crucial for us to address the eye care needs of millions of Nigerians.
“Presbyopia is a global problem; all over the world, about a billion people are affected with presbyopia; among these 1 billion people, no fewer than 500 million are visually impaired all because they lack access to reading glasses.
“It is a very good thing that the Act foundation, Eye Care Aid Foundation and Vision Spring have come together with the support of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and health authority of the FCT to come to carry out this screening.
