No Ghanaian should go blind needlessly

THE loss of sight can change a person’s life in ways that are difficult to appreciate until it happens. It can take away independence, make earning a living more difficult and limit a child’s ability to learn.

Yet, thousands of Ghanaians are losing their sight to conditions that can be treated or managed if detected early.

The Ghana Health Service (GHS) says cataracts account for 54.8 per cent of blindness in Ghana, affecting an estimated 140,000 people.

This is troubling, particularly because cataracts can be treated through surgery.

This paper is of the view that no one should have to live with avoidable blindness because they did not recognise the symptoms, could not afford treatment or lived too far from a facility equipped to provide it.

The challenge goes beyond encouraging people to visit an eye clinic.

Public awareness is important, but awareness without access to treatment will achieve little. A person may recognise a problem with their sight and seek help, only to discover that the nearest specialist is far away or that the cost of care is beyond their means.

The GHS has identified the unequal distribution of eye care professionals as a major obstacle.

More than 70 per cent of the country’s 168 ophthalmologists, 750 optometrists, 900 ophthalmic nurses and 800 opticians are concentrated in the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions. Four regions reportedly have no resident ophthalmologist.

This imbalance must be addressed. Access to quality healthcare should not depend on where a person lives. People in rural communities and underserved regions deserve the same opportunity to protect their sight as those in major cities.

The Ministry of Health and the GHS must make eye care an integral part of primary healthcare.

Routine vision screening should be encouraged at health centres, with frontline health workers trained to identify warning signs and refer patients for specialist care. Outreach programmes should also be expanded to communities with limited access to eye specialists.

The government must support these measures with adequate funding, equipment and personnel. It should work with hospitals, local authorities and development partners to expand screening services and improve access to affordable cataract surgery.

Cataracts are not the only concern. Glaucoma and diseases affecting the back of the eye also contribute significantly to blindness. Unlike cataracts, damage to vision caused by glaucoma cannot be reversed. Early detection and treatment are therefore essential to protect sight.

Regular eye examinations should be encouraged even among people who believe their vision is normal. Waiting until sight becomes noticeably impaired may mean missing the opportunity for timely intervention.

Schools, workplaces, religious organisations and community leaders can help by promoting eye checks and organising screening exercises with qualified professionals.

World Sight Day, marked under the global theme, “Love Your Eyes”, and Ghana’s theme, “Eye Care for All: Integrating Vision into Primary Health Care”, provides a timely reminder. However, eye health must remain a priority long after the annual commemoration.

We call on the government to prioritise eye care in health planning and resource allocation, the GHS to strengthen screening and referral services, and health professionals to intensify public education. Ghanaians must also take responsibility by making regular eye examinations part of routine healthcare.

The goal must be clear: no Ghanaian should lose their sight needlessly because treatment was delayed or care was inaccessible.

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