More than two million Nigerians are living with avoidable blindness, largely caused by cataracts, the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria (OSN) has said.
The Vice-President of the society, Prof. Abubakar Rafindadi, disclosed this on Wednesday at a press briefing ahead of the 51st Annual General Meeting and Annual Scientific Conference, Abuja ASO 2026, scheduled for September 2 to 4 in Abuja.
The conference, themed “Re-imaging Eye Care in the Digital Era,” will focus on the application of artificial intelligence, tele-ophthalmology, digital diagnostics and other emerging technologies to improve access to eye care in Nigeria.
Rafindadi said despite ongoing efforts to tackle avoidable blindness, the country was yet to attain the cataract surgical rates required to significantly reduce the burden.
“The statistics have not changed dramatically. We are still fighting a heavy burden of avoidable blindness, with over two million people having avoidable blindness, mainly a lot of cataracts, despite the efforts we are making.
“We are not matching the required cataract surgical rates that we need,” he said.
The OSN Vice-President, however, said the country had recorded significant progress in ophthalmic training, technology and service delivery since its last annual conference.
He identified the establishment of simulation centres in Lagos and Ibadan as one of the major developments, saying the facilities would enable ophthalmologists to improve their skills in cataract and vitreoretinal surgery.
Rafindadi said the society had also expanded the integration of eye care into primary healthcare, with the number of states participating in the programme increasing from 14 to 21.
According to him, more than 2,500 primary healthcare workers have been trained under the programme, including during a recent exercise in Bauchi State.
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He said the society was also exploring technology, including tele-screening and artificial intelligence, to extend quality eye care to rural communities and underserved populations in urban centres.
Rafindadi noted that although Nigeria had become increasingly urbanised, many people living in underserved communities within major cities still faced difficulties accessing quality eye care.
He said, “We are trying to see how we can adopt the new technological innovations to reach the rural populace and also the underserved populace within the metropolis.
“We are looking at how we can use technology to bridge these gaps through things like tele-screening, artificial intelligence technology and so on.”
The OSN Vice-President also highlighted improvements in the availability of ophthalmic equipment and advanced surgical services, noting that posterior segment surgeries were now being offered in several parts of the country where such services were previously unavailable.
He said centres in Benin, Lagos, Ibadan, Kaduna and Kano were among those providing advanced posterior segment surgical services.
Rafindadi said the society was also concerned about the shortage and uneven distribution of ophthalmologists and other eye-care professionals across the country.
He attributed the concentration of specialists in major population centres partly to insecurity and inadequate employment opportunities in rural areas.
According to him, state and local governments must increase the employment of ophthalmologists, optometrists, opticians and ophthalmic nurses to ensure equitable distribution of eye-care services.
He further disclosed that more than 1.5 million reading glasses had been distributed under the Jigibola 2.0 initiative, with a target of five million by 2027.
On the dangers of harmful traditional eye practices, Rafindadi urged Nigerians to avoid unverified substances and treatments that could result in irreversible loss of vision.
He said the society was working with government and traditional medicine institutions to identify practices that could be safely integrated into healthcare while eliminating harmful ones.
“We must keep talking to the public. Please don’t go to these people. They should be aware that these practices can be harmful and can cause irreversible loss of vision to them,” he said.
Meanwhile, the OSN said it would conduct more than 500 free cataract surgeries as part of activities preceding the 51st Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference.
The cataract surgery outreach, scheduled for August 27 and 28, with the possibility of extending to August 29 if necessary, is expected to benefit patients screened and selected from various centres in the Federal Capital Territory and neighbouring areas.
The society said more than 500 patients had already been selected and medically assessed as fit for surgery.
Rafindadi said the society would use the conference to develop evidence-based recommendations and a strategic roadmap for improving eye care delivery in the country.
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