A fellow of the American Academy of Optometry, Demian Echendu of State House Clinic, Abuja, has called on the federal government to improve funding for eye healthcare in Nigeria.

Mr Echendu said on Monday in Abuja that good eye care remained the key to the country’s economy and well-being.

Mr Echendu, the ex-president of the Nigerian Optometry Association (NOA), said it was regrettable that eye health might not be a priority area of the government.

“But I believe that in what we are doing, the government will also find a way to support eye health. This is because a population that has challenges with vision should be ready to face increase in poverty, morbidity, mortality and some societal challenges.

“I would like to encourage the government to pay much attention to that by devoting more funds to eye care because eye/vision is very key to the economic development and well-being of a nation,” he said.

On the recent inauguration of the Nigerian Chapter of the American Academy of Optometry (AAO), Mr Echendu explained that he and some of his colleagues were fellows of the academy and having the Nigerian Chapter was a welcome development.

He emphasised the need to unite as a group of professionals to gain access to information and support and positively impact society.

“You find out that most developed countries are up-to-date in research, and without research, there is no way you will be able to address health challenges that we are encountering these days.

“Also, this advancement will help in addressing some of those conditions and blindness that one cannot easily dictate that could easily lead to loss of sight.

“We know that vision is very important in life. It contributes to more than 80 per cent of what a child learns; it also contributes to more than 70 per cent of what we do in life,” Mr Echendu said.

(NAN)