Eye Foundation to Release Free Vision Health Detective App

As part of measures to increase access to eye care, Center for Eye Health and Innovation of the Eleta Eye Institute is set to release a free Vision Health Detective App.

In an interview with Radio Nigeria, Chairman, Eleta Eye Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organization, Dr Oluwagboyega Ajayi explained that the initiative was in collaboration with colleagues in the United States of America.

Dr Ajayi noted that with less than five hundred Ophthalmologists to attend to the eye health of more than two hundred million Nigerians, the app will be of great help as it will carry out a test and send results to any Ophthalmologist registered for further consultation and care.

Speaking on the theme for this year’s World Sight Day, “Love your Eyes” the expert said “Love is a powerful word and to love someone is to have feelings for that person, to cherish, to adore and to make someone happy all the time.

“Caring for a loved one also means spending time with that person, having time and knowing what makes the person happy as well as what he likes or dislikes. The same goes for loving the eyes”.

Dr Ajayi identified things that people should avoid if they love their eyes including smoking cigarettes or cigars, use of certain drugs, and some herbs and excessive use of chloroquine. Food items to avoid include not well-processed garri.

“People have asked me whether garri can cause blindness and I said, “No” and “Yes” because the normally processed garri will not cause blindness but garri which is not well processed can, as it contains cyanide a toxic substance which affects the eyes and other organs in the body,” he said.

Fatty foods should also be avoided according to the expert while people with existing health conditions like diabetes, hypertension and other diseases are at higher risk of eye problems.

This is why people should check their eyes once a year if less than forty and twice if above forty, eat a lot of green leafy vegetables and fruits which are good for the eyes.

Dr Ajayi submitted that of all the five senses of sight, taste, touch, smell and hearing, the sense of sight remained the most powerful and must be cherished.

Anthonia Akanji.

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