At least 24 million Nigerians are currently living with one form of sight loss or another, the Vice Chancellor of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences (DUFUHS), Uburu, Professor Jesse Uneke, has disclosed.
Professor Uneke, a Medical Parasitologist and Health Policy/Systems expert, made this revelation during a press briefing at the unveiling of the university’s Free Eye Care Initiative and Eye Research Programme, held at the Institute for Eye Health and Visual Sciences Research (IEHVSR) in Ebonyi State.
Citing the Nigeria National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey, the Vice Chancellor explained that about 4.2 percent of Nigerians over 40 years are blind, while 4.25 million adults in the same age category suffer from moderate to severe visual impairment.
He lamented that 84 percent of blindness cases in Nigeria are preventable, often linked to cataracts, uncorrected refractive errors, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, infections, and trauma.
“Blindness in Nigeria is strongly associated with increasing age, female gender, and poor literacy levels. Unfortunately, the majority of these cases could have been avoided,” he stressed.
To tackle the crisis, DUFUHS, with support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), has established an ultra-modern Eye Centre and the IEHVSR, a world-class facility for patient care, research, and training.
Through its Free Eye Care Initiative, the university has treated 2,412 patients since February 2025, including 1,352 for refractive errors, 627 for cataracts, 168 for glaucoma, and 265 for other conditions. In addition, 1,000 eyeglasses—comprising 400 reading glasses and 600 prescription glasses—were distributed at no cost.
Professor Uneke emphasized that the centre brings together ophthalmologists, optometrists, nurses, biomedical engineers, and ICT experts to provide integrated eye care services, particularly targeting underserved rural communities in Ebonyi and beyond.
He added that the initiative aligns with the World Health Organization’s SPECS 2030 agenda, which aims to expand access to affordable refractive error services globally.
Reaffirming DUFUHS’s commitment, the Vice Chancellor said the university would continue to invest in research, training, and community service in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with the ultimate goal of reducing medical and educational tourism.
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