By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – As smart glasses gain global traction, experts have called on the Nigerian government to regulate their use to ensure medical safety.

Desmond Bassey, Executive Director of Autovision Initiative and Lead Architect of the National Smart Vision Policy Proposal (NSVPP), urged that clinical accuracy be prioritised before widespread adoption of smart eyewear technologies. He made the call on Thursday in Benin City.

Bassey highlighted that while smart glasses offer enhanced connectivity, navigation, and productivity, they pose risks when users rely on outdated or unverified prescriptions.

“Every day in Nigeria, people drive, work, and use digital screens with prescriptions that are no longer accurate, often without realising it. Embedding those inaccuracies into smart glasses creates a new layer of risk that cannot be ignored,” he said.

He noted that Nigeria’s eye care system, led by optometrists and ophthalmologists, is not yet structured to integrate emerging technologies like smart glasses. “There is no standardised pathway connecting clinical eye examinations to smart device deployment. Without verified prescriptions, we risk scaling innovation on top of uncertainty,” Bassey explained.

The NSVPP proposes a structured framework for smart glasses adoption, including professional screening, verified medical reporting, prescription documentation, and validation before device use. The plan also includes subsidy strategies to make clinically verified smart vision solutions more affordable.

“This is not about replacing clinical expertise,” Bassey said. “It is about strengthening the system so that innovation works in alignment with medical standards, not outside them.”

The Autovision Initiative focuses on improving access, accuracy, and integration of eye health services across Nigeria.