Optometrist advises on proper diagnosis of blurred vision

Prof. Eleazor Ikonne, the Chairman, Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians Registration Board, of Nigeria (ODORBN), has advocated proper diagnosis of blurred vision before going for glasses.

Ikonne made the call at sideline of the official ground –breaking and foundation laying ceremony of the proposed 21st century globally competitive edifice for ODORBN in Abuja on Monday.

According to him, not all blurred visions are caused by eye problems; someone might have diabetics for instance and think they have eye problems without knowing it is diabetics.

“The first point of call when you have any blurred vision should be the clinic of an optometrist, who is trained to take history of your health diagnose and advise you on what to do.

“Sometimes there are systemic conditions that the first appearance is on the visions, if you meet someone, who is not properly trained; such a person would do a wrong recommendation.

“There should be a legislation that every school age child should be checked on admission because a child might be performing poorly without knowing it’s because of eye problems,” he said.

Speaking on the structure, the professor of optometry said that when completed, it would attract more foreign partnership and investors in into the country’s health sector.

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer/Registrar ODORBN, Prof. Ebele Uzodike, said that the construction of the permanent office for optometrists would reposition the profession to perform better.

He described ground breaking as giving birth to something important. For over 20 years, we have operated in borrowed buildings, from Lagos to Abuja.

“Today, not only are we in the FCT, but we are now trying to build our own edifice, where we will stay and grow.

“The population of virtually challenged people varies in Nigeria, depending on the population and location. We have over 5,000 licensed optometrists in Nigeria. We also have over 2,500 dispensing opticians,” he said.