Research, key to better eye care, services

Following the devastating effect of poor vision, a foremost eye expert, Professor Oyin Olurin had challenged Nigerian eye experts to intensify on research to better understand and treat prevailing eye conditions like glaucoma in the country.

Olurin, in a keynote address at the Topping out ceremony of the new building for The Marilyn Miller Centre for Child Eye Health and Genetics in Ibadan, stated this had become imperative to prevent the devastating effects of loss of sight.

The eye expert remarked that improvement in diagnosis and treatment of eye disease had led to different specialities in eye care, and as such an in-depth study and investigations to save sight.

Olurin stated: “we need to know about the association of genetics and the development of some of our eye diseases.”

The eye expert also stated the increased need for child eye care, remarking that many eye problems in adults could have been prevented or at least ameliorated if parents and attending doctors are knowledgeable and had diligently  intervene when they were younger.

Olurin, who appreciated efforts by Eleta Eye Institute to ensure increased access to affordable eye care in the country, including child eye care, stressed the need to ensure the institute’s sustenance and avoidance of protocol and bureaucracy in their service delivery.

Archibishop of Ibadan Metropolitan See and proprietor Eleta Eye Institute, Archibishop Gabriel Abegunrin lamented that many people had gone blind because they lacked knowledge on where to access eye care and eye care cost.

Abegunrin stated that the institute had been supporting eye care of indigent Nigerians and was already contemplating expanding eye care services to other states in the country.

Professor Marilyn Miller, of the University of Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary, the guest of honour at the event, stressed the need for more focus on training and treatment of child eye care in the country.

Miller, who acknowledged that no country has done enough for eye care of children, declared the importance of healthy eye in children for nation’s building as well as increased funding and support to medical areas that deal with children.

Group Medical Director, Eleta Eye Institute, Dr Gboyega Ajayi said with stark reality of increasing vision impairment and blindness throughout the world, programmes to preserve and restore vision deserve concerted attention.

Ajayi, who declared the need to support government in provision of eye care in Nigeria, declared “all well meaning people must join hands to achieve the goal of “Vision 2020-the right to sight” since it is obvious that Nigeria cannot cope.

Wife of Oyo State Governor, Chief Florence Ajimobi who lauded the contribution of the institute to eye care in Nigeria, said a lot of suffering in the world would be considerably reduced if more people would join hands towards the alleviation of preventable and treatable blindness.

She urged increased support for the institute to reduce number of people who are blind and to be able to provide affordable eye care services.

Mrs Ajimobi, then pledged to support the care of Toyin and her children, whose case was published in Nigeria Tribune’s You and Eye Column.

Toyin, a diabetic patient also with eye problem, needs considerable financial help to take care of her children and health.