The team showcased a diversity of expertise in dealing with various eye conditions diagnosed. This is in an effort to provide remedies to the disorders that may lead to blindness. Speaking during the event, one of the Eye Care experts, Dr. Julius Rono stated that eye screening is key to ensuring healthy eye care in younger generations. This is because screening allows exposure to visual impairments that are preventable.
One of the MMUST Optometry students attending to PSV drivers.
Speaking during the exercise, the National Coordinator- OAK and Clinical Instructor at the Optometry Department- MMUST, Ms. Sheila Nangena noted that they picked on the drivers because they have been neglected in terms of receiving eye care services resulting in rampant accidents. Ms. Nangena encouraged the drivers to have their eyes tested at least once yearly to ensure their safety on the roads.
One of the MMUST Optometry conducting eye screening.
“It is important to mark the relationship between vision and driving. I hereby urge you to help others ‘love their eyes’ by sharing this information with other drivers as well as the public,” urged Ms. Nangena.
One of the MMUST Optometry during eye screening exercise.
Similarly, the OAK Advisory- Mr. Andrew Wekesa, pointed out that the aim of celebrating eyesight day is to recognize great milestones in eye care provision as well as sensitization of the community concerning eye care services. “We thank our sponsors for the support they have offered to us. We mark this day by providing free eye screening to our drivers so as to prove the correlation between vision and driving,” he stated.
Concurring with Mr. Wekesa, Mr. Alfred Ragot who is also a member of the Optometry Department said that such events offer the University a platform to market the Optometry program as well as expose their students to the practical aspects of the profession.
The Optometry students have been well exposed to handling different visual impairments they encounter courtesy of the equipment, practical lessons during outreaches, and skillful personnel in the Department. They exhibited high levels of expertise during the eye screening exercise.
By Linet Owuor
Photos by Wilberforce Shiundu
