Community sensitization on Eye Health
Eye Health Program
CHPF appreciates the fact that Eye health is important because eyes are essential for interacting with the world around us, allowing us to see and perform daily activities.
The eye health program focuses on proving basic eye care services that is Free eye screening, free medicine to common eye problems, affordable glasses and referral services to our partner facilities for the cases we cannot manage at community level and at our eye clinic at North Coast Medical College (NCMT). We also give health education to the communities and school going children to create awareness and sensitive on common eye conditions and refractive errors. We have an estimated population of 240000 thousand inhabitants and among those there is an estimate of:
- Between 720- and 1,690-blind people;
- 5,000 – 6,000 people with severe visual impairment majorly due to uncorrected refractive error;
- 1,200 children with uncorrected refraction errors and 550 with amblyopia
- 1,600 people over 50 years with glaucoma
- 1,600 people per year developing significant visual impairment due to cataract
Eye diseases are common and can go unnoticed for a long time. Some eye problems don’t have any symptoms in their early stages. A comprehensive dilated eye exam by an eye doctor can find eye diseases in the early stages. This is when treatment to prevent vision loss is most effective.
our main goals
The project aims at: offering free eye health services to the community, creating awareness and sensitization on eye health matters , offer glasses at an affordable referrals on eye health patients with cases we cant manage at our facility to respective partners.
Area of intervention
Basic free eye screenings to the all community and schools
2. Free eye drops to common eye conditions
3. Free ophthalmic clinic on Wednesdays at the college
4. Prescription glasses and sun glasses at an affordable price
5. Referral services to other clinics for treatment and management of other medical conditions
6. Free cataract surgeries with our partner facilities/organizations
Our eye clinic
At our eye clinic, we conduct slit lamp examinations for all patients to check the back of the eye. This test is important especially for people with diabetes and hypertension, as these conditions can lead to vision problems.
Our ophthalmologist and ophthalmic nurse diagnose and treat common eye conditions such as allergies and infections by prescribing the necessary medications. For more serious cases that require specialized care, they provide referrals to appropriate healthcare facilities.
Our eye clinic runs every Wednesday at our NCMTC unit, ensuring regular access to eye care services for the community.
Some of the challenges that we are currently facing at the clinic are:
1. Inadequate funds to purchase some of the equipment like tonometer, autorefractor and glasses
2. Partners who can assist us whether with funds, glasses or even equipment donations to help
reach deep into the community and provide eye services.
3. Volunteers who are ready to give back their skills/ expertise to help our community leave a
better life with better sight.
Eye Health Awareness And Sensitization
CHPF is working tirelessly for the good of the community within our catchment areas. Eye health sensitization and awareness activity is and continues to be a primary concern with us . We do conduct the activity at the community to keep it informed. We provide group health talks for people and educate them about common eye problems and how to prevent them. They also receive information about early signs of complications that affect their sight. This helps community members understand the risks of these conditions and encourages them to follow their medication plans to prevent complications.
We as well have our eye clinic where we conduct slit lamp examinations for all patients to check the back of the eye.
Our eye clinic runs every Wednesday at our NCMTC unit, ensuring regular access to eye care services for the community.
The pictures herein indicates the activity at Bodoi Catchment area.