This year’s World Sight Day is targeted at prioritizing child eye health and giving children everywhere the opportunity to love their eyes.
Globally at least 450 million children have a sight condition that needs treatment, with 90 million children living with some form of sight loss.
Dr. Frederick Mensah, Senior Optometrist at the Bethel Methodist Medical Center, mentioned that about 19 million children are visually impaired according to the World Health Organisation, and about 80 percent can be corrected at the early stages.
According to him, most children suffering from sight loss stem from childbirth and prolonged screen time on electronic devices.
He emphasized that it is important for parents, schools and healthcare providers to collaborate to ensure that children undergo routine vision checks, ideally starting as early as preschool age.
Early detections of refractive errors, amblyopia, and cataracts can make all the difference in ensuring a child’s healthy vision development.
Dr. Frederick Mensah advised parents to be vigilant and seek medical help promptly if they notice any signs of discomfort or vision problems in their children.
