LAGOS OCTOBER 15TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Delta state government at the weekend warned parents and children not to apply traditional medications in their eyes to avoid damage, saying eyes transplant doesn’t exist.

The Focal Person, Eye Health Program at Delta State Ministry of health, Mrs. Gloria Mok, stated in Asaba, state capital on the occasion of World Sight Day with theme: “Our Parents and Teachers, love your kid’s eyes.”

She said that a lot of students in schools are struggling with visual problems.

According to her, “A lot of people make use of traditional medications like sugar and breast milk in their eyes, and that is why we are encouraging them not to put. Because, when the eyes are damaged, nothing can reverse it.

“Usually, for most organs in the body, from your heart, kidney and liver, you can have transplant. But, for someone who is blind ,you cannot use eye of some one that is alive to that person.

” This year, the international agency for prevention of blindness together with the federal ministry of health decided that we should focus on children. Last research in 2010, about 10-15 percent of children in Delta state are having eye problems.

“The basic eye problem for children is refractive error. They are not seeing things that are far or close. The ways to correct these problems generally is to use your prescription glasses. Parents should take them to the hospital to access eye care and secure their eyes.

” We are focusing on children and eye care to ensuring that every child get the necessary eye care they need. We are doing three things, walk to sight, screening of school children across the 25 LGAs and eye care competition for all the secondary and technical schools in the state.”

Also speaking, Program Manager, Vcsre for Development Foundation, Philip Ukenezia, said the NGO has what it called Sustainable Primary Eye Care Services (SPECS) where “we take interventions on eye services to people in the communities .

” We have done a whole lot in Akwa- Ibom state, where we carried out free cataract surgery for people, everything free of charge.We are in touch with Delta government, once it is finalised, we will role out statewide intervention, where Deltans will free eye surgery for as long as 10 years.

In her remarks, State coordinator, WHO Faith Ireye, said WHO’s stand is to support the state to ensure that the theme is impactful.

“If a child eye is having problem, how can that child live a quality life? So focus on children is very important. We are sounding it clear for parents, teachers and children/students to love and take up their eyes.

Speaking also, representatives of Ophthalmological society of Nigeria, Delta state, Ogbedo Ernest it is generally known that children who see well do well socially and academically. Many children don’t see properly and they have not been taken for eye check.

“So, we are advocating that children get their eyes checked. If you not seeing well, wearing your eye glasses will help you better and achieve your dreams and aspiration in life.”

BluePrint

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