VISION 2020: KNOW YOUR OCULAR HEALTH STATUS TODAY.

In June 2014, the Lagos State Government organized a Visual screening program and assessment of other medical conditions on Commuter bus drivers at two motor parks in the state.

The drivers were tested at the T&M CMS and CMS-Epe Motor Parks at Marina, Lagos, southwest Nigeria.

Of the 351 drivers screened for blindness, 198 of them had eye defect and had been driving with poor eyesight, thus endagering the lives of passengers.

Out of this figure,117 were given free eye glasses, 42 people were penciled down for special order lenses while 39 were referred for specialized eye care. The screening, under the Motor Park Health and Safety Initiatives programme was instituted in order to ensure the safety of drivers and commuters by creating awareness about the need for drivers to update their driving skills and techniques, submitting themselves for periodic medical examination especially eye tests.

No wonder on d high rate of accidents in the country.

The Federal Road Safety Commission are supposed to screen a patient or request for a doctor's report from the patient on his ocular and psychological health before handling to him a Driver's Licence. But trust our country where a blind man can have the Licence to drive provided he has enough money to pay.

This is duly advised in all states in the country especially as the political campaigns are going on. Political parties can do well to organize a free visual screening on their people to help boost them politically and also help the country to meet the requirement of THE VISION 2020 which is a global initiative to eliminate avoidable blindness by the year 2020.

“Let us resolve today that we will stop taking a gamble with our lives and know our ocular status and get the right treatment for it".