Spectacles wearing at early age does not cause blindness – Doctor declares

Dr Godwin Ovenseri-Ogbomo of the Department of Optometry in the University of Cape Coast, on Monday told parents to disabuse their minds that children who wear spectacles at an early age would become blind later in life, because the claim had no scientific proof.

He said it was rather important for parents to screen their children's eyes regularly, adding that a recent study conducted on a number of school children in Cape Coast showed that only six out of 61 examined had previously had eye examinations and were wearing glasses.

Dr Ovenseri-Ogbomo said this at the launch of a four-month vision screening pilot projects for selected first cycle schools in Cape Coast.

The forum, which was organized by Child-Leaner Development Organisation (CLEDOR), was among other things to advocate the improvement of teaching and learning environments, conduct research to understand and deal with problems that confront the child-learner.

Dr Ovenseri-Ogbomo urged teachers to observe their pupils carefully, especially those who sit at the back of the class and did not pay attention.

He said the child's ability to see clearly what was written on the chalkboard influenced his or her ability to participate in class and that this was more often due to the presence of undetected and uncorrected refractive error.

Mr Francis Mensah-Okyere Acting Executive Director of CLEDOR, said 10 schools in the Cape Coast metropolis were going to benefit from the pilot programme, which was aimed at improving teaching and learning environments for first and second cycle schools and were restricted in their fullest development due to mild innate challenges, giftedness, talents, poor education and social environments including poor teaching and learning methodologies.

Dr Edward Teye Atta, Board Member of CLEDOR said the pilot programme, which would last for four months would be dealing with poor study habits, unfavourable environment and mild visual impairment, which he described as the causes of underachievement.

He said the programme would be extended to the other nine regions.

In all more than 500 pupils were screened.