LION Emmanuel Kojo Gyimah, (MJF) a member of the Accra Premier Lions Club has underscored the need for routine eye examinations, which he said would avert some minor eye problems that are always recorded in the country.

He stated that frequent eye examinations are important regardless of one’s age or physical health and for that matter called on the general public to cultivate the habit of checking their eyes to avert any mishaps.

“Eye examinations are an important part of health maintenance for everyone,” he said and hence, called for the need for every individual to have his/her eyes tested to keep their prescriptions current and to check for early signs of eye disease.

At a free eye screening and testing by the Accra Premier Lions Club for members of the Ebenezer Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana at Mamprobi in Accra and its environs, Mr. Gyimah said “during a comprehensive eye examination, your eye doctor does much more than just determine your prescription for eyeglasses or contact lenses. The doctor also checks your eye for common eye diseases, assesses how your eyes work together as a team and evaluates your eyes as an indicator of your overall health.”

The exercise, which attracted a large number of members of the Ebenezer congregation, was facilitated by nurses from the Korle-Bu Eye Clinic, with the sponsorship of the Accra Premier Lions Club. Glasses or contact lenses were also provided by members of the Lions Club.

Mr. Gyimah, who is a past president of the club, stated that the mission of the Lions Club is to put smile on faces of people by offering free eye screening and testing and where necessary, provide eyeglasses free of charge to affected persons.

He maintained that an eye examination for children plays an important role in ensuring normal vision development and academic achievement, saying, “vision is closely linked to the learning process.” “Children who have trouble seeing or interpreting what they see will often have trouble with their school work. Very often, children will complain of vision problems simply because they do not know what ‘normal’ vision looks like. If your child performs poorly at school or exhibits a reading or learning disability, be sure to have his or her eyes examined by an eye doctor who specializes in children’s vision to rule out an underlying visual cause,” he emphasized. According to Mr. Gyimah, studies have shown that many people over 65 years were neglecting their eye diseases, and stated that no matter who is involved, regular examinations are important for seeing more clearly, learning more easily and preserving their visions for life. “Treatment plans following your eye examination can include a prescription for glasses or contact lenses to correct refractive errors, vision therapy or strabismus surgery for binocular vision problems, medical treatment for eye disease or simply a recommendation that you have your eyes examined again within a specific time frame.

Your eye doctor also may recommend that you take eye vitamins or vision supplements to maintain good eye health or to help alleviate specific problems like glaucoma,” he noted. Mr. Gyimah mentioned that as Lions, they are of the view that no amount of money can replace the satisfaction that comes from missions such as eye screening and testing, stressing that seeing the expressions on people’s faces and really meeting a need is what they are challenged to do. For his part, Lion Dr. Peter T. Asubonteng, President of the Accra Premier Lions Club called on people who are physically challenged in one way or the other not to consider themselves disabled or deprived and for that matter it is an end to their life, but put themselves together and forge ahead, since all persons are not the same in life. He said whenever these people in society get closer to the club, they (the club) would make them feel that they are really unique human beings on this planet earth. He indicated that one main focus as Lions Club is to ensure that people retain good eye sights, saying that they are always reminded of the fact that one them to grow as a club, they must look out for the disabled, especially those with visual problems.

Lion Dr. Asubonteng maintained that it is for this motivation that the members are going around to look for communities that have such difficulties so as to lend them their fullest support.

He indicated that “as Lions anytime you are to organise an activity and see people coming and smiling and are happy, then you know you have done a service. Then all your time, energy and the money that has gone in, has become fruitful. That is our main aim, and we feel so happy, delighted and we go home with joy.” The Reverend Daniel Bediako, Minister of the Laterbiokorshie District of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, on behalf of the Church, commended the Accra Premier Lions Club for their support for the church.

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