By Asma’u Ahmad
The Nigerian Optometric Association has called on the Federal Government to enact a legislation for compulsory eye test for drivers and children.
The National Secretary of the association, Dr. Adesuwa Agbontaen, told newsmen in Abuja that the measure would reduce the rate of eye problems in the country.
Dr. Agbontaen said that the legislation should make it mandatory that eye fitness certificates be tendered before a child was admitted into a school.
He said that a good eye health began from childhood and that parent should make it a task and priority to ensure quality eye health for their wards.
The secretary urged the government to put eye health in the front burner like maternal and child care, saying that addressing child vision would go a long way to reduce the burden of blindness.
He noted that a series of eye tests should be done for children at different stages in their life and embedded in the legislation.
Agbontaen also said that eye screening should be made compulsory for drivers and that they should be made to tender eye fitness certificates to be allowed to ply the roads.
