Some eye care professionals on Wednesday conducted free screening for members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Council in commemoration of the 2023 World Sight Day (WSD).
Speaking at the screening, Dr Olufunmilayo Sokunbi, the Director, state Ministry of Health, said that the eye had a direct influence on productivity of anybody at work and consequently on the nation’s economy.
The eye health awareness and screening was carried out by the Lagos State Ministry of Health Blindness Prevention Program in collaboration with other eye care professionals in the state.
Sokunbi said that the professionals it collaborated with included the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria, Nigerian Optometric Association, Nigerian Ophthalmic Nurses Association, and others.
She said during the exercise, which started on Wednesday, that eye health remained important and must be given priority in work places.
Describing the 2023 theme, “Love Your Eyes at Work” as apt, Sokunbi said journalists remained very important stakeholders and work force, “because of the enormous of the work they do. We consider it essential to come and screen their eyes.”
“Whether we believe it or not, how productive we are going to be at our work places depends on how good our eye sight is. The level of your eyes sight determines the level of the quality of work that you do,” she said.
Sokunbi said that the journalists would be given free eye medications and glasses, adding that those who needed referral to secondary eye care centers would be referred during the exercise.
Urging journalists to take good care of their eyes, the director advised them to prevent injuries on eyes; protect, preserve and prioritize their eyes.
Also, Mrs Moradeke Adedeji, a Nurse Educator/Opthalmic Nurse with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, urged parents and teachers to desist from beating children in anger and on their hands to prevent eye problems.
Adedeji, who urged journalists to ensure regular comprehensive eye check to prevent damage, also advised parents and teachers to give priority to children’s eyes while punishing them.
“We don’t want any of our children to be blind because they have a long way to go. Eye health is very important, it is an area of priority, so every parent should take note.
“When you want to cane them, you cane them below their buttocks down or you give them alternative punishment.
“Teachers should use alternative ways of correcting children and if you must cane them, do so below the buttocks. Our eye health is in our hands,” she stressed.
Adedeji urged Nigerians to maintain healthy eyes and to love their eyes at work places, adding that foods rich in vitamin A are good for the eyes.
She said: “We need to also maintain healthy weight because most time, people get overweight and have problems that are associated with the eyes.
Adedeji urged patients with eye problems to comply with treatments religiously to prevent extensive damage that could lead to blindness.
In his remarks, Mr Adeleye Ajayi, the Chairman, NUJ, Lagos State Council, who described the gesture as laudable, commended the Lagos State Government for considering journalists in the state worthy of the gesture.
“Good eyesight is a very prominent tool in journalism. We are ever grateful to the state government, we hope the government will sustain this gesture as and at when due.
“We sit behind desktop computers, laptop computers and phones for 24 hours, and these do a lot of damage to our eyes. When we go for regular eye check like this, we will have less stress and our eyes will be more productive.
“There is no way a journalist can be productive without good eyesight. I advise our members to undertake regular checks of their eyes,” the NUJ boss said.
