…Flags Off National Glaucoma Screening, Treatment Guidelines

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to undergo early eye check-ups and seek treatment to prevent irreversible blindness, as cases of glaucoma continue to rise in the country.

Expressing concern over the increasing prevalence of the disease, the government noted that Nigerians are genetically predisposed to glaucoma, making early detection and management crucial. It encouraged the public to take advantage of free screenings and report symptoms such as blurred vision, eye pain, or loss of peripheral sight to healthcare facilities.

Speaking at a briefing to mark the 2025 World Glaucoma Week in Abuja, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, represented by Dr. Akpan Nse, Director of Port Health Services, described glaucoma as a silent thief of sight.

“Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide and the leading cause of irreversible blindness in Nigeria. With early detection, it can be managed, but without intervention, it silently steals sight.”

According to the Nigerian Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey (2005–2007), glaucoma accounts for 16.7% of blindness cases in the country. Globally, over 60.5 million people are affected, with 87% of cases recorded in developing countries.

Dr. Salako highlighted several risk factors for glaucoma, including:

Age (above 40 years)

Family history

Elevated eye pressure

Diabetes and hypertension

Refractive errors

Prolonged use of corticosteroids

He emphasized that Africans are at a higher risk of developing early and aggressive forms of the disease, underscoring the need for regular eye check-ups.

To combat the disease, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has launched the National Glaucoma Screening and Treatment Guidelines, which have been distributed to all states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Additionally, under the JigiBola 2.0 Initiative, the government aims to:

Provide free vision screenings

Distribute five million reading glasses to Nigerians over the next three years

So far, over 100,000 people have been screened, and 80,000 free spectacles have been distributed, in partnership with Livelihood Impact Fund, Restoring Vision USA, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI).

Dr. Oteri Okolo, National Coordinator, National Eye Health Programme, speaking on behalf of Permanent Secretary, Dr. Kachollom Shangti Daju, stressed the importance of routine eye exams.

“Too many Nigerians realize they have glaucoma only when significant vision loss has already occurred. Early detection is key, and we must encourage routine eye check-ups.”

The Primary Eye Care (PEC) Initiative has also been integrated into Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities, with over 3,000 PHC workers trained across 682 health centers in 15 states to improve glaucoma diagnosis and referrals.

The government acknowledged the support of Sightsavers, OneSight EssilorLuxottica Foundation, Christoffel Blinden Mission (CBM), pharmaceutical companies, and health researchers, urging them to continue efforts in providing affordable glaucoma medications and innovative detection methods.