As Nigeria joins the global observance of 2024 World Sight Day, the Abia State Chairman of the Nigeria Optometric Association, Dr. Ogbonna Onyedikachi, has attributed poor academic performance among children to untreated eye challenges.
Speaking today during an interview in Umuahia to mark the day, themed “Children, Love Your Eyes,” Dr. Onyedikachi emphasized that refractive errors are a common eye issue among children, affecting their ability to learn effectively.
According to her, refractive errors, often resulting from constant exposure to light rays, can cause short-sightedness, making it difficult for children to perform well in school. She highlighted that children who spend prolonged periods using iPads, computers, and phones are particularly vulnerable to such eye problems.
Dr. Onyedikachi urged parents and caregivers to pay close attention when their children frequently complain of headaches, as this could be a symptom of binocular vision anomalies. She advised parents to seek proper medical examinations for their children at eye clinics.
“If your child is not performing well in school or your child is not interested in academics, there is a probability that this child could have a visual challenge, so don’t just take it down that this child is not intelligent, it could be as a result of visual challenge, so please try and find out,” Dr. Onyedikachi said.
She further noted, “These children, some of them complain, but when they complain, our parents don’t pay attention to their complaints. We think it’s one of those complaints, no it is not. If a child is complaining ‘mummy, I don’t see the board well,’ please, that child needs help.”
Dr. Onyedikachi also advised parents to provide their children with balanced diets and vaccinate them against infections, as untreated infectious diseases can lead to eye problems. She warned that blindness can sometimes run in families, urging parents with a family history of blindness to have their children’s eyes regularly examined.
“If you have a history that anybody in your lineage has gone blind, please always make sure that once in a while, you subject your children for eye examination because there is a tendency that what caused that blindness could also affect your children,” she added.
She concluded by stressing the importance of prioritizing vision health, saying, “Make it of Outmost importance. Don’t think that it is just the eye. I will also plead with the parents, please make sure that you vaccinate your children.”
NewsNGR reports that World Sight Day is a global initiative observed annually on every second Thursday of October. Its aim is to raise awareness and promote action against vision impairment, with a focus on preventing blindness and eye diseases.