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Some Nigerian children with eye problems die before age 2 – Institute

Some Nigerian children with eye problems die before age 2 – Institute
By Christian Njoku
Eye
Calabar, Jan. 18, 2018 (NAN) The Brien Holden Vision Institute said on Friday that 50 per cent of children with eye problems often die before their second birthday in Nigeria.
Dr Ann Abri, the Sub-Regional Manager of the institute for West Africa, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar.
Abri said that this development occurred because the problems that were related to blindness in children were also related to mortality in the children.
According to her, the institute is aimed at reducing mortality in children, by providing eye care for children between the ages 0 to 14 years in Cross River.
The medical practitioner said that her organisation would establish four child friendly units in Calabar, Ogoja, Ikom and Yakurr, where children could access eye care quickly.
Abri said that the outfit was also providing free surgeries for parents in the institute’s teaching hospital in Calabar.
“In Cross River, we are targeting 250,000 children; to provide medication to as many that require medication, provide 2,500 spectacles, conduct surgeries on no fewer than 360 children.
“Also of interest would be the setting up of well-equipped child friendly units with well-trained workers, especially optometrists to provide specialist care within the clinics and establishing a school for children who are blind so that if all is done and a child’s sight could not be restored, there is a school where the child can acquire education.
“The state government is supporting us by providing a conducive environment in their facilities, and also providing us with their staff who we train to care for the children, and collect data which are sent to us.”
Abri, who doubles as the Project Manager for the Seeing is Believing Comprehensive Child Eye Health Programmme in the state, said they could not take optometrists to the rural areas due to lack of facilities there.
She noted that the comprehensive eye care programme for children began in 2017 in 11 states, and would be rounded off in Dec. 2019.
Dr Theresa Ekpenyong, one of the optometrists trained for the programme, described it as enlightening, having learned new ways of examining children.
According to her, parents and children are usually very grateful especially those who underwent surgeries and had their sight restored.
She, however, noted that as nice as the programme was, lack of maintenance could be its problem as there was lack of maintenance culture. (NAN)
CBN/FLP/MST
Edited by Folorunso Poroye/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Official warns of unorthodox eye treatment

Official warns of unorthodox eye treatment
By Mercy Osajiugo
Eye
Minna, May 11, 2018 (NAN) Mr Yunusa Zarumai, the Chief Nursing Officer at the Eye Centre, General Hospital Minna, Niger, has warned Nigerians of inherent dangers in patronising traditional healers for eye treatment.
Zarumai, an Ophthalmic Nursel, gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Friday.
According to him, unorthodox eye treatment is detrimental not only to the eye but to general health of an individual.
He said that orthodox treatment was the right treatment for the eye rather than resorting to crude traditional treatment that would endanger the eye.
“We are advocating that eye patients attend our hospital, where we have modern equipment that would be used for proper examination.
“That will give them the opportunity for the eye to be well examined and the right diagnosis made to proffer lasting solution to the eye condition,” he said.
Similarly, Zarumai cautioned those in the habit of taking tobacco snuff to treat their eye problem to desist from the act.
“This is not good enough for the general well being of the eye, especially the nervous system.
“Tobacco is harmful because it contains harmful and addictive chemicals that can raise the risk of many health challenges,” he said.
Zarumai said that using snuff could also raise risks of other conditions, such as high blood pressure, which can cause hypertensive retinopathy.
He therefore advised Nigerians, especially the aged, to shun snuffing as it does more harm to the body system than the perceived good they believe it does. (NAN)
MNO/IFY/MST
Edited by Ify Omowole/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

‎Minna General Hospital records 97 eye patients in Q1

‎‎Minna General Hospital records 97 eye patients in Q1
By Mercy Osajiugo‎‎
Eye
Minna, April 7, 2018 (NAN) Dr Isah Jibril, the Medical Director of Minna General Hospital, Niger, says the facility has recorded 97 eye patients in the first quarter of 2018.‎
Jibril, who is an Ophthalmologist, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Minna.
‎He said that out of the 97 eye patients who ‎came for routine checks, 44 were males while 57 were females.
‎He also confirmed that out of the figure, one had an eye repair, while six had cataract operation to correct their impaired vision.
‎“Cataracts are degenerative condition, it is the clouding‎ of the lens of the eye and this happens when the lens loses flexibility.
“Cataracts does not help vision to improve but rather deteriorate vision, untreated cataracts result to vision loss,‎” he said.
According to him, cataracts could deteriorate vision completely, ‎adding that it is a major cause of blindness.
“Many are usually anxious about the operation, this is not a surgery to worry about as 15 to 20 minutes surgery will redeem that eye,” he said.
Jibril said that cataract interferes with people being active and productive in their daily routine.
“Cataracts tend to prevent one from reading books, watching television and other daily routines’’, saying that early cataract surgery will ensure more years of clearer vision.‎
‎He urged adults from 20 to 65 to always go for routine eye examination for healthy eye care, saying that routine eye examination will reduce eye disease.
“While in a routine eye check, patients with degenerating eye disease such as glaucoma are earlier detected and treatment to slow it down is commenced,” he said.‎
‎Jibril advised the general public to take advantage of the modern equipment in the hospital to have their eyes checked periodically. (NAN)
MNO/AIJ/MST
Edited by Abigael Joshua/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Eating vegetables, fruit reduces eye problems – Ophthalmologist

Eating vegetables, fruit reduces eye problems – Ophthalmologist
NAN-H-27
Vegetables
By Ummul Idris
Abuja, March 1, 2018 (NAN) Dr Aliyu Daware, an ophthalmologist, on Thursday said eating more of vegetables and colourful fruits could help in keeping eye good during old age.
Daware told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that green vegetables were rich in the lutein.
Lutein is a nutrient important for the eye.
He said that losing of sight at old age could be avoidable, adding that “some people just believe that as you are getting old such things are bound to happen”.
But Daware said that eating green vegetables was the best way for people to protect their eyesight and stay off vision problems later in life.
“When it comes to the eyes, there’s no getting away from it, you have to take it seriously and those greens vegetables contain a pigment that will protect retinal cells from damage caused by ageing and light.
“You know as we age, we experience a decrease in the strength of the muscles of our eyelids, it becomes weaker,” he said.
The ophthalmologists said that eating well remained the first way to take care of the eyes and help reduce risk for eye disease.
Daware therefore advised Nigerians to be getting their nutrients from natural foods by eating vitamins in the vegetables as against taking tablets.
According to him, vitamin A is naturally found in free leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and also bright colours like carrots and sweet potatoes boosts eye health.
Daware added that fruits like oranges, mango and strawberries provide vitamin C and other antioxidants which also help fight eye disease. (NAN)
UMD/AOM/MST
Edited by Abdullahi Mohammed/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Council sponsors eye surgery for locals in Jigawa

Council sponsors eye surgery for locals in Jigawa
NAN-HG-10
Surgery
By Muhammad Nasir Bashir
Dutse, Jan. 29, 2018 (NAN) Miga Local Government Council of Jigawa has sponsored free eye surgery for 50 visually impaired persons in the area.
Alhaji Abdallahi Yakubu, the Information Officer in charge of the council, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse on Monday.
Yakubu said the surgery was conducted on persons with trachoma and trichiasis on Jan. 25.
“The Miga Local Government Council has sponsored eye surgery on trachoma and trichiasis for 50 visually impaired persons consisting males and females.
“The beneficiaries are selected from nooks and crannies of the council,’’ Yakubu said.
He explained that the gesture was to assist the victims regain their lost sights.
The spokesman quoted the council’s Chairman, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar, saying after the conduct of the exercise that plan was underway to select another set of visually impaired persons for similar gesture.
According to him, the chairman also advised the beneficiaries to comply with directives given by surgeons after the exercise to ensure speedy and proper healing.
Yakubu also quoted some of the beneficiaries, A’isha Galaucime and Firdausi Bala, commending the council for the kind gesture. (NAN)
MNB/COO/MST
Edited by Cecilia Odey/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Jigawa Local Council to sponsor 110 for eye surgery

Jigawa Local Council to sponsor 110 for eye surgery
NAN-H-30
By Muhammad Nasir Bashir
Surgery
Dutse, Jan. 11, 2018 (NAN) No fewer than 110 visually impaired people in Dutse Local Government Area of Jigawa would benefit from free eye surgery to be sponsored by the council.
Alhaji Ibrahim Yakubu, the Chairman of the council, made this known to newsmen on Thursday in Dutse.
According to Yakubu, the selected beneficiaries will be taken to General Hospital, Dutse, for their treatment.
Yakubu said that 10 beneficiaries would be selected for the exercise from each of the 11 wards of the council.
“We will select 10 people with eye problems from each of the 11 wards of the council and sponsor them to undergo surgery.
“And we will be just and fair in the selection. I mean only those who deserved it will be selected, irrespective of his/her political affiliation or background,” Yakubu assured.
“This is not the first time, as some few months ago, 62 visually impaired persons underwent similar survey under our sponsorship,” the chairman added.
According to him, the gesture is to assist the victims regain their lost sight. (NAN)
MNB/GOM/MST
Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Association demands subsidised treatment of eye ailments in Nigeria

Association demands reduced treatment of eye ailments in Nigeria

NAN-HG-6

Treatment

By Yashim Katurak

Abuja, March 14, 2017 (NAN) The Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) on Tuesday called for subsidised cost of treating eye challenges in the country.

Dr Ozy Okonokhua, a member of the association in FCT, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Okonokhua was speaking on the sidelines of the celebration of the World Glaucoma Week (WGW) being commemorated on March 12 to 18, with the theme: “Beat Invisible Glaucoma’’.

He said that with the high cost of eye treatment in the country, the association resolved to provide free screening and treatment for persons in rural communities to reduce the financial burden on them.

Okonokhua said the intervention was becoming increasingly difficult to handle by the organisation, hence the need for the public, government and stakeholders’ support.

“What the association does from time to time is to conduct screening exercises in rural areas because this are the people who have little or no access to eye healthcare, so we take care to them at their community.

“In as far as glaucoma is concerned because of the cost implication; it is not what the association can do alone because glaucoma cannot be treated but rather managed throughout one’s life time.

“This means that there is need for follow-up, continues treatment and tests. One cannot say that he or she has treated glaucoma once and that is all.

“As an association we are not able to completely provide help to people on our own especially at the grassroots level, so we need all stakeholders to partner with us to achieve this,” Okonokhua said.

He said that the association would not relent in its efforts to create awareness and help in diagnosing the condition especially at the early stages to improve the chances of recovering.

The optometrician said the association was conducting free eye screening for all FCT residents at all eye clinics and government hospitals for one week.

“We are conducting free glaucoma screening at all eye clinics in the FCT from 10 a.m to 2 p.m throughout the World Glaucoma Week, which is holding from March 12 to 18.

“Some of the hospitals and clinics include Asokoro District Hospital; National Hospital; Garki Hospital; University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada; Rachael Eye Center, Garki, and State House medical centre, Asokoro.

“Others are Fortress eye hospital, Zone 1; Havillah eye hospital, Jabi; Modelcare hospital eye clinic, Garki; and the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State, among others,” he added.

According to Okonokhua, the best way to protect one’s sight from glaucoma is to have the eyes tested.

NAN also reports that glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye diseases where vision is lost due to damage to the optic nerve.

Generally there are no symptoms or warning signs in the early stages of this eye condition.

The loss of sight is usually gradual and a considerable amount of side vision may be lost before there is an awareness of any problem. (NAN)

KRY/OIF/MST

Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Muhammad Suleiman Tola