By Edward Dankwah, GNA
Akropong, Oct. 26, GNA – The Accra Golden Lions Club, Accra Diamond Lions Club, Takoradi Nkuranhye Virtual Leo-Lions Club and the Legon Leo Club have intensified efforts to prevent avoidable blindness through community eye screening, the distribution of free glasses and public education on eye health.
The exercise, held at the forecourt of the Akropong Chief’s palace, brought together the partnering Clubs to screen community members and provide glasses to those who needed them.
Mr Nehemiah Atigah, the immediate Past President of the Accra Golden Lions Club, said the exercise formed part of activities marking October as Vision Month, dedicated to promoting eye health under Lions Clubs International’s global service programmes.
He said the glasses distributed were supplied through the district, which had collated about 32,000 pairs for distribution among Clubs to support communities across the country.
He said vision care remained a critical component of the Lions’ service, rooted in a historic mandate inspired by Helen Keller, the visually impaired American author and activist, who in 1925 challenged Lions to become “Knights of the Blind.”
Mr Atigah, who’s also the District Vision Chairperson, said beyond screening, the exercise provided medication where necessary, and referred people requiring further tests or treatment to partner hospitals.
He said the club also collected participants’ information to facilitate follow-ups, particularly for those referred for further medical attention, to ensure that they received the necessary care.
“For those who need glasses, we are giving them glasses. For those who need eye drops, we are doing that,” he said, adding that the objective was to provide comprehensive support rather than merely record the number of people screened.
The immediate Past President said the Clubs were committed to ensuring that identified eye conditions received appropriate attention, stressing that the ultimate goal was to make a meaningful difference in the lives of beneficiaries.
Mr Atigah said the clubs had undertaken online awareness campaigns since the beginning of October, educating the public on eye care, harmful habits to avoid and symptoms that required visits to eye clinics.
He said the Clubs had also used radio and public address systems in communities to disseminate eye health information, combining education with screening and treatment support.
Mr Atigah said the approach was intended to promote preventive eye care and encourage people to take steps to protect their sight before conditions developed into serious visual impairment or blindness.
He reaffirmed the Clubs’ commitment to sustaining public education and providing assistance to people living with visual impairment or requiring eye care support.
Dr. Samuel Ayaribila, Optometrist with Ecclessia Hospital, Tema, urged the public to undergo eye screening at least once a year to detect conditions that could lead to blindness.
He said many eye conditions developed gradually without obvious symptoms, making regular examinations essential for early diagnosis and treatment.
Dr Ayaribila said the screening had identified several conditions, including inflamed pterygium, allergic eye conditions, cataracts and glaucoma, attributing the high occurrence of pterygium to prolonged exposure to sunlight and dust, while noting that many residents also required medication to manage eye allergies.
The optometrist said reading glasses were provided to people aged 40 years and above who experienced difficulties reading, while those requiring prescription glasses for distance vision were referred to nearby hospitals for further assessment.
He said some medications were provided to beneficiaries who needed them, while those unable to afford the prescribed drugs were given prescriptions to purchase them elsewhere.
The optometrist said the screening also revealed a few complicated conditions, including hypertensive retinopathy and ptosis, which required further examination and had been referred to nearby hospitals.
He urged the Lions Clubs to consider including free eye medication in their budgets for future screening exercises to ensure that more beneficiaries received the necessary treatment.
Dr Ayaribila said increased exposure to electronic screens had become a concern, advising the public to manage their screen time and take measures to reduce eye strain.
He also recommended the use of appropriate protective lenses for screen users, while emphasising that regular eye examinations remained critical to identifying potentially sight-threatening conditions early.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah