Include free medicated glasses on Health Insurance – UCC Professor of Optometry

Professor of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Cape Coast(UCC) Samuel Bert Boadi-Kusi has proposed that medicated glasses be covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme(NHIS) to ease the burden of persons who require them for their vision.

He explained that the inclusion would ensure that poor school-going children and other vulnerable groups are catered for so that they can continue their education or pursue their careers.

He revealed that without the intervention of benevolent individuals and non-governmental organizations, many more persons with vision challenges would have been unable to procure medicated glasses(spectacles) to ensure that they continue to have their sight.

“Most of the interventions are coming from Non-Governmental Organizations(NGOs) because spectacles[ medicated glasses] are not covered on the NHIS. So without the NGOs, the vulnerable cannot afford spectacles,” he stated.

Prof Boadi-Kusi, who is also the President of the Ghana Optometric Association, made the appeal during the launch of the Refractive Error Week held at the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

The launch was held under the theme: “The Impact of Refractive Error on National Development”.

The aim of the launch, among others, is to set aside the first week of July every year as the Refractive Errors Awareness Week.

“As an Association of Optometrists, we have noticed that, globally, there is no day set aside for the celebration of refractive error awareness. However, we noticed that when we talk about visual impairment globally, refractive errors is the leading cause of visual impairment. So there is a need for us to think about how we can set aside a week and educate the general public on the effects of refractive errors and their causes and the burden they bring to us as a nation, and how best we can do to reduce the burden of refractive errors” Prof Bert Boadi-Kusi noted.

He advised teachers, parents and individuals to note that refractive errors can be managed through the wearing of medicated glasses, urging the public to disregard myths about refractive errors.

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