LAGOS – A Consultant Opthalmologist, Dr Tarela Sarimiye, has said that early diagnosis and treatment were critical to maintaining a child’s vision and a healthy eye.
Sarimiye, who is the Medical Director of Lagos-based Ancilla Hospital Eye Center, spoke in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.
He said that there were many eye conditions and diseases that could affect a child’s vision.
According to him, the commonest eye conditions among Nigerian children are poor vision, conjunctivitis, that is, allergic and infective, cornea scarring and eye injuries.
“These are few of the common eye conditions in childhood and for which care is needed.
“A child with poor vision can be suspected of such when he or she seats close to the TV screen to watch programmes.
“Complaints that the child is not seeing the chalk board or the likes coping from friends and not the board.
“If this poor vision is not addressed on time it may result to a less functionally developed eye(s) due to reduced stimulus for the eye development and which is much difficult to treat,’’ he said.
Sarimiye urged parents to ensure that their children did not play with harmful objects that could lead to eye injuries which were commonly seen in some children visiting ophthalmologists.
He also urged parents and teachers to educate children on the importance of the eye in order for them to be more careful when they played at home or school.
“Children are very vulnerable when it comes to play at home or in school and as such, they need to be taught what they should and should not play with to prevent eye injuries,’’ he said.
Sarimiye said the eye represented less than one per cent of the total body volume.
He, however, said that a loss of one’s sight resulted in more than 20 per cent of one’s functionality and capability.
“This is even worse in children, who are still growing and their sight is a major factor that help them to learn and explore their environment for proper development.
“Proper eye health is a must for all children,’’ Sarimiye said.
