From Nabob Ogbonna, Abakaliki
Not less than 24 million Nigerians from the age of 40 above are currently living with sight loss.
The Vice Chancellor of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu in Ohanaza local government area of Ebonyi state, Prof. Jesse Uneke revealed this on Thursday at the institute campus.
The event was the unveiling of the university’s Free Eye Care Initiative and Eye Research Programme held at the university campus for Eye Health and Visual Sciences Research (IEHVSR).
Uneke, who is also a Professor of Medical Parasitology & Health Policy/Health Systems cited that findings from the Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey, adding that Nigerians about 4.2 percent of 40 years old are blind.
He stated that an estimated 4.25 million adults aged and above suffer from moderate to severe visual impairment.
The Vice Chancellor noted that 84 percent of blindness in Nigeria is caused with increasing age, stressing the need for regular eye checks, public awareness, and affordable treatment as option for cure.
According to him, “Blindness in Nigeria is associated with increasing age, being female, and poor literacy. Sadly, 84 percent of blindness cases are attributed to avoidable causes.
“Also, cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors are the leading causes of visual impairment in the country, but conditions such as glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, infectious eye diseases, and trauma also pose significant challenges,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor stressed that limited access to basic eye care in low- and middle-income Nigerians, worsens the burden of sight loss, particularly for rural dwellers.
Addressing this, “the university with support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), had established the Ultramodern Eye Centre and IEHVSR, a state-of-the-art facility for research, training, and patient care.
“And through this programme, the university has already provided free treatment to 2,412 patients since February 2025, including over 1,300 people with refractive errors and more than 600 with cataracts and has distributed over 1,000 eyeglasses,” he noted.
He said that the programme was part of DUFUHS’s social responsibility mandate on research, training, and community development.
“And the facility, supported by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), was established towards addressing Nigeria’s rising burden of visual impairment and blindness, which currently affects an estimated 24 million people.
“Our Free Eye Care Initiative has drastically reduced avoidable blindness and provided an opportunity for training, research, and patient care.
“From February to date, we have treated 2,412 persons—1,352 for refractive errors, 627 for cataracts, 168 for glaucoma, and 265 for other conditions. We also gave out 400 reading glasses and 600 prescription glasses free of charge to patients” Uneke stated.
He emphasized that the university’s Eye Centre operates with a multidisciplinary team of ophthalmologists, optometrists, nurses, biomedical engineers, and ICT experts towards improving access to eye care, especially for rural dwellers in Ebonyi State and beyond.
“This include enhancing accessibility to eye services in rural communities, increasing awareness of regular eye examinations, providing affordable solutions for the less privileged, and developing sustainable long-term strategies for vision care,”he maintained.
He added that the Centre aligns with the World Health Organization’s SPECS 2030 initiative, which seeks to expand access to quality, affordable refractive error services globally.
Mr Uneke assured that the university would continue in strengthening its training, advancing scientist research, and community health programmes in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with the ultimate aim of reversing both medical and educational tourism.
