By Dennis Peprah
Abesim (B/R), June 29, GNA – Residents of Abesim in the Sunyani Municipality have undergone free eye-screening exercise to know the state of their eye conditions.
Eight fun clubs in the town came together to organise the event, and sporting activities including indoor games, with more than 150 residents benefiting from the eye screening exercise.
They comprised Youth for Action, Dormaa Unity, Abesim Parliament, Friends of Progress, Sunday Special Presby Park, Sunday Special L/A Park, Komkom Sunday Special and Yaanom Yaanom Fun Clubs. Dr Frederick Otabil, an Optometrist at the Sunyani Municipal Hospital led a team of eye specialists from the Abesim-based St Ignatius Eye Centre to conduct the screening exercise and put some of the beneficiaries with peculiar eye problems on medication.
Other beneficiaries with severe eye problems were also referred to health facilities for medication. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Dr Otabil said allergic conjunctivitis and refractive error were the common eye problems among the beneficiaries, saying suspected cases of cataract and glaucoma were also recorded.
He said glaucoma was also common among most of the elderly people and advised those put on medication to strictly adhere to taking the drugs to help improve their sight.
Dr Otabil advised the public to go for regular eye examination, and avoid self-medication which could worsen their eye conditions.
Mr Kingsley Kusi Appiah, a leader of the Youth for Action Fun Club told the GNA the sporting games were also aimed at helping to strengthen unity and social cohesion in the area and appealed for support to sustain it.
He said many of the younger people in the area had football talents and called for assistancetowards unearthing and nurturing those talents, saying football remained a lucrative business now and could create jobs for the youth.
Trophies, medals, and undisclosed sums of money were presented to the fun clubs which featured in the sporting activities.
GNA