World Sight Day: Abia screens drivers to prevent road crashes

By Steve Oko

The Abia State Eye Health Management Bureau has taken its eye health campaign to a motor park in Umuahia, offering free eye screening to drivers and passengers as part of efforts to prevent avoidable blindness and promote road safety.

The Bureau said the intervention was designed to address the risks posed by poor eyesight among motorists, stressing that clear vision was essential for safe driving and the protection of passengers and other road users.

The campaign, organised to mark the 2026 World Sight Day, was held at the Prof. Nnenna Oti Bus Terminal, Umuahia, under the theme, “Safe Eyes, Safe Roads, Safe Lives.”

Administrator of the Bureau, Dr Betty Emeka Obasi, said the choice of the motor park was deliberate because thousands of commuters pass through the facility daily, making it an ideal location to reach drivers and other members of the public.

She urged motorists to take advantage of the free screening to ascertain the condition of their eyes and seek prompt treatment where necessary.

“To the drivers here today, I have one request: please take the test. It takes only a few minutes, and it may save your life and the lives of the people who entrust you with their lives,” Obasi said.

She advised drivers not to delay obtaining prescribed corrective glasses or treatment, noting that good eyesight was critical for reading road signs, judging distances and speeds, identifying pedestrians at dusk and coping with glare.

According to her, regular eye examinations are essential because some eye conditions, including glaucoma, may progress without obvious symptoms until significant damage has occurred.

Obasi also called on parents and teachers to ensure that children undergo eye screening, warning that undetected vision problems could affect their learning and development.

She cited findings from a national blindness survey indicating that 84 per cent of blindness among adults aged 40 and above was avoidable.

The administrator also referenced global estimates showing that 1.1 billion people were living with vision loss in 2020, a figure projected to rise to 1.8 billion by 2050.

Giving an account of the Bureau’s activities, Obasi said it had established and was operating 25 eye clinics and vision centres across Abia’s 17 local government areas.

She disclosed that the agency had attended to 33,884 patients in just over two years, conducted 31,152 free eye screenings in communities and performed 1,811 eye surgeries, including 304 free cataract operations.

The Bureau, she added, had also identified 6,381 cases of glaucoma through its interventions.

Obasi attributed the achievements to Governor Alex Otti’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery in the state.

Unveiling a vision corridor at the park, Gov. Alex Otti urged commercial drivers to prioritise regular eye examinations, warning that poor eyesight could endanger lives on the road.

Otti, represented by his Deputy, Chief Ikechukwu Emetu, said the event was to promote eye health awareness among drivers and commuters.

The governor described good eyesight as a professional necessity for drivers and urged them to embrace the Safe Driver Pledge, which promotes routine eye checks, compliance with traffic regulations and responsible driving.

Commissioner for Transport, Dr. Chikezie Ukaegbu, said regular eye screening could facilitate early detection of vision problems, timely treatment and reduction in preventable road crashes.

His Health counterpart, Prof. Enoch O. Uche, stressed that good vision was vital to protecting lives and improving productivity.

The event was organised by the Abia State Eye Health Management Bureau in collaboration with the state ministries of Health and Transport, and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

Hundreds of patients received free eye screening at the event.