By Rosemary Wayo
Tamale, Oct 14, GNA – Savanna Opticals and Eye Care, an optical service provider in Tamale, has held free eye screening exercise for residents.
The exercise was to commemorate World Sight Day, a day set aside for eye care sensitisation by the International Agency for Prevention of Blindness.
It was in partnership with Vision Spring.
Residents were screened, given medications and reading glasses, and those with special cases were referred for further attention.
This year’s World Sight Day celebration is on the theme: “Love Your Eyes at Work”.
Dr Daniel Opoku Gyamfi, Optometrist at the Savanna Opticals and Eye Care, speaking during the exercise in Tamale, said the celebration was an opportunity to educate people on the need to wear protective glasses against exposures, especially at work places.
He said statistics showed that several people became blind from diseases that were preventable, adding it was vital to prompt people on giving special care to the eyes.
He said, “We find this screening important because some clients were identified with cases that could lead them blind in a couple of months to come if not diagnosed.”
Dr Gyamfi said it was inappropriate to work under certain conditions without protecting the eyes, adding that not protecting the eyes exposed them to factors that contributed to blindness.
He noted that some special cases, including glaucoma and cataract, were detected during the screening, and said it would require the intervention of other organisations for surgery.
Some beneficiaries of the exercise, who spoke to the Ghana News Agency, expressed gratitude to the organisers.
Mr Adam Nurudeen, a benefiary, said he was given reading glasses after being screened to aid his sight during work as a tailor.
GNA