By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
As the the annual World Sight Day is being celebrated with the cooperation of the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ), Ekiti State council, the Ado-Ekiti Metropolitan Lions Club, District 404B2 and the Nigerian Optometric Association (NOA) through collaborative efforts has given out over 200 free eye glasses to both members of the NUJ in Ekiti State and the members of the public were part of the beneficiary. In his goodwill message to the beneficiaries towards the distribution of the free eye glasses programme at the NUJ Press Centre, Okebareke in Ado-Ekiti, the NUJ chariman, Lion Rotimi Ojomoyela enjoined the elderly people and the members of the *”Pen Profession’* in the state who have expressed their interest to benefit from the scheme to take to the advise and the instructions the Eye Medical Experts will dished out. Ojomoyela thanked the Optometrist Association on their efforts towards putting up this type of event free of charge. Dr. Osadare, the Chairman, Nigerian Optometrist Association, Ekiti State chapter, while addressing the beneficiaries of the free eye glasses, said: “The World Sight Day is the most important advocacy and communication event on the health calendar. He reiterated the resolve of the Nigerian Optometrist Association to ensure that everyone has access to good eye healthcare through effective eye test examination”. Osadare, appealed to the beneficiaries to take their eye test very serious and on regular basis at least once in a year. He advised the beneficiaries to always endeavour to see their Optometrist of Ophthalmologist whenever having problems with their eye and avoid self medications. Protect your eyes from harmful ultra-violet rays of the sun by putting on sun-glasses always while going out and always wear protective glasses or safety glasses while performing any hazardous work. He emphasized on the need to maintain good hygiene, wash your hands with soap and water before touching or rubbing your eye”. Osadare equally enlightened the beneficiaries not to apply urine, breast milk, leaf extracts, salt solution, sugar solution, pepper or any alternative / traditional medication whenever having eye problems. He urged them to allow their eye to rest when using computer or phones after every 20 minutes and look away from the screen for at least 20 seconds. He also chided the beneficiaries from patronising quacks who operates in places like the market place thereby detecting hidden eye blindness problems early.