The National Chairman, Eye Health Committee at the Federal Ministry of Health, Professor Afekhide Omoti, has warned against the application of excessive makeup around the eyes to avoid visual impairment.
Omoti also urged women to remove the makeup around their eyes before going to bed.
Omoti said this at an event organised by the FMoH, the Ministry of Transportation and a non-governmental organisation, the Sightsavers Nigeria, in commemoration of the 2022 World Sight Day with the theme, “Love Your Eyes.”
The WSD, observed annually on the second Thursday of October, is a global event meant to draw attention on blindness and vision impairment.
Omoti advised, “Reduce the amount of cosmetics around your eyes. Take special interest in giving attention to your eyes. Check your eyes regularly.”
He noted that poor makeup hygiene could cause irritation and allergy to the eye, which may lead to visual impairment.
He said, “You may react to some chemicals and you will start itching and have problems in the surface of your eyes.
“Try to clean makeups around your eyes very well before you sleep and try not to apply too much makeup around your eyes so that they don’t find their way into the eye or around the eyes.”
The don said the theme for the year emphasises the need for early diagnosis of eye diseases by eye health professionals.
According to him, vision is important in the socio-economic development of a people.
He added, “Nigeria, with other member states at the United Nations General Assembly, recently adopted the vision for everyone; accelerating action to achieve the sustainable development goals resolution, aimed at committing the international community to eye health for the 1.1 billion people living with preventable sight loss by 2030.
“It thus enshrines eye health as part of the UN sustainable development goals. Evidence has shown that individuals with impaired vision have difficulty with performance of daily tasks and inability to fend for themselves, thus lowering their productivity and consequently reducing their contribution to economic growth of the nation.
“Furthermore, it has been established that the avoidance of blindness is key to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal one as vision loss alone costs the globe a whopping $411 billion annually.
“Furthermore, following successful cataract surgery, the income bracket of 46 per cent of households moved up the economic ladder, thus contributing to eliminating the zero hunger in SDG one.”
On his part, Director of the Permanent Secretary’s office, Federal Ministry of Transport, Hussain Adamu, who reiterated the commitment of the government towards transport sector, urged drivers to check their eyes at least once in a year.
Also, the National President, Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Musa Mohammed, said the association had Travellers Accident Insurance Scheme to protect drivers and passengers during emergency accident.
Mohammed, represented by the RTEAN Deputy National President (Administration), Muhammad Abubakar-Bishara, stressed on the importance of good sight for drivers to reduce risk of accidents and deaths.
The Sightsavers Nigeria carried out eye health education, screenings, and provision of spectacles for drivers in motor parks in Abuja.
