The Managing Director of Remahad Eye Clinic, Dr Nkechi Ugboh has called on governments to make annual eye screening compulsory in schools to ensure early detection and treatment of vision problems among children.
Ugboh made the call on Thursday during the commemoration of the 2026 International Day of the African Child, organised by the Makarios Initiative for Health and Humanitarian Development (MIHHD) in Lagos.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event has the theme: “Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Every Child in Africa”.
Speaking during a health education session, she said many children with poor vision were often wrongly labelled as dull or lazy because their eye conditions remained undiagnosed.
“Somewhere in a classroom today, there is a child struggling to see the board while the child sitting next to him can see clearly. That child is not dull and not lazy; the child simply has an eye problem that nobody has noticed,” Ugboh said.
According to her, about 80 per cent of the information humans receive from the environment comes through the eyes, making good vision essential for learning and overall development.
She identified common eye conditions affecting children to include trachoma, conjunctivitis, refractive errors, cataracts, vitamin A deficiency and glaucoma, noting that many of the conditions could be prevented through proper hygiene and early medical intervention.
Ugboh said access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene remained critical to preventing infectious eye diseases, particularly trachoma, one of the world’s leading causes of preventable blindness.
“Without clean water, infections thrive and the risk of blindness increases. With clean water and proper hygiene, children can keep their eyes healthy, see clearly and perform better in school,” she said.
Ugboh demonstrated proper handwashing techniques and advised children to wash their hands regularly with soap and clean water, especially before touching their eyes, before eating, after playing outdoors and after using the toilet.
She also urged children to cover their mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing to reduce the spread of infections.
Ugboh advised parents and teachers to watch out for warning signs such as difficulty seeing the classroom board, frequent headaches, persistent eye rubbing, sitting too close to books, sensitivity to light and crossed eyes.
According to her, untreated vision problems can negatively affect a child’s academic performance and self-confidence.
“When a child cannot see clearly, the child may miss lessons, struggle academically and even be tempted to copy from others during examinations,” she said.
Ugboh urged children experiencing vision difficulties to inform their parents and teachers, rather than resort to examination malpractice.
In an interview on the sidelines of the event, she said the clinic partnered with the Makarios Initiative to create awareness about the relationship between eye health, hygiene and children’s education.
Ugboh explained that some cases of examination malpractice among pupils could be linked to undiagnosed vision problems, stressing that routine eye examinations would help address the challenge.
A child may be unable to see the board clearly and may eventually begin copying from classmates simply because he or she cannot see properly. That is why every child should undergo routine eye screening,” she said.
Ugboh called on governments to establish school-based eye screening programmes, integrate eye health education into school curricula and train teachers to identify early signs of vision impairment.
She also urged public and private organisations to support eye-care initiatives through partnerships, corporate social responsibility programmes and the deployment of mobile eye clinics, particularly in underserved communities.
Ugboh encouraged children to eat nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, carrots and nuts to promote healthy eyesight and advised them to avoid reading under poor lighting conditions.
