The Kogi Commissioner for Health, Dr Zakari Usman, has advocated regular
eye screening and early treatment to prevent blindness caused by Glaucoma.
He made the call at a news conference in Lokoja as part of activities to commemorate the 2023 World Glaucoma Week (WGW)
with the theme: ”The World Is Bright, Save Your Sight”.
The activities for the glaucoma week was organised by Kogi Ministry of Health through the state’s Eye Care Steering Committee
in collaboration with Sight Savers International and other stakeholders.
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that can cause vision loss and blindness by damaging a nerve in the back of the eye called the optic nerve.
The symptoms can start so slowly that it may not be noticed, therefore, the only way to find out if one has glaucoma is to get comprehensive dilated eye exam.
Usman, therefore, said that the essence of the Glaucoma Week is to spotlight on the disease as leading cause of preventable irreversible blindness worldwide.
He said “the week is designed to spread awareness and understanding about the importance of early detection of glaucoma.”
He disclosed that about 270 people in Kogi were screened for glaucoma in 2022 at the Federal Medical Centre Lokoja.
The commissioner stressed that the state’s steering committee on glaucoma remained committed to promoting healthy eyes and good vision,
achieving access to quality eye, eliminate avoidable blindness and vision loss.
He said Kogi Government is creating awareness and sensitisation on glaucoma as a public health concern to improve eye care in the state