Iris Optometric Practice offers free eye screening for students

The Iris Optometric Practice, a private eye-care centre, has offered free eye screening for students of Independence Avenue Cluster of Schools in Accra, as part of activities to commemorate this year’s World Sight Day. 

The screening covered students from lower primary to junior secondary levels, who were assessed on a variety of eye conditions such as refractive errors, issues with focusing that can make reading difficult, as well as allergic and bacterial conjunctivitis, cataracts and glaucoma. 

The exercise was aimed at enhancing students’ learning potential by addressing common but treatable eye conditions that might hinder their academic performance.

The programme draws inspiration from the World Health Organisation’s Vision 2020 initiative- “The Right to Sight”, which emphasises preventing avoidable blindness through early detection and treatment. 

It also aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goals Three and Four, which focus on good health and quality education.

The screening targets leading causes of avoidable visual impairment such as refractive error, childhood blindness, cataracts and trachoma 

Significance

The Director of Iris Optometric Practice, Dr Samuel Asiedu, emphasised the impact of vision on students' academic work, saying "vision is crucial to a child's quality of life and success in school”.

“Many children may struggle academically simply because they cannot see well, often without even realising it," he said.

Dr Asiedu explained that refractive errors were the focus of the screening, adding "Some students may not know they have vision problems because they assume everyone sees as they do”.

“Through this screening, we aim to bring awareness and offer solutions, such as corrective lenses, for those who need them," he said.

He said they offered frames and lenses on-site to students who needed corrective eyewear at no cost.

For cases requiring further treatment, such as advanced cataracts or binocular vision anomalies, they were referred to specialised facilities, the director said. 

Dr Asiedu said the exercise would be extended to other schools, adding that “when schools formally reach out to us, we try our best to accommodate their requests, provided we have the means to do so”.

“We budgeted for this specific project, allowing us to run it successfully. Going forward, as we secure more funding, we’ll be able to expand this initiative.”

“So, we are appealing to anyone who is touched by this intervention to support us bring eye care to more students in need,” Dr Asiedu appealed.

Gratitude

The Headmistress of Independence Avenue 2 School, Ernestina Asiedu, expressed gratitude for the intervention.

She cited specific cases where students struggled with their schoolwork due to undiagnosed vision problems.

“I realised some of my students, especially two boys in the lower classes, struggle to complete assignments, often taking far longer than others. Upon talking to their parents, I learned they knew about the vision issues but hadn’t sought help due to financial constraints.”

“Now that they’ve had their eyes checked, I believe it will improve their academic work significantly,” Mrs Asiedu said.