14,000 Niger residents blind from cataracts, 5,000 new cases recorded annually

About 14,000 people in Niger State are currently blind from cataracts, with an estimated 5,000 new cases added to the backlog annually, the Niger State Ministry of Health has disclosed. Dr Halima Isah Umar, Chairman of the Niger State Eye Care Programme and Head of the Eye Centre, General Hospital, Minna, disclosed this on Thursday at a press briefing in Minna to mark the 2026 World Sight Day, observed annually on October 8. Umar, a Consultant Ophthalmologist, said cataract remained the commonest cause of blindness in the state, accounting for about 50 to 60 per cent of blindness cases. She said the 14,000 figure represented people already blind from cataracts who had yet to receive treatment, while the annual increase was largely linked to ageing. According to her, lack of awareness, the cost of surgery and limited access to eye-care services were among the major barriers keeping patients from treatment. Umar said the current intervention was targeted mainly at indigent patients, with between 30 and 50 people expected to benefit, while a larger project planned by the state would target about 1,000 beneficiaries. She said patients with non-surgical conditions would receive free treatment for infections, glaucoma and allergies, as well as reading glasses, while those requiring specialised care would be referred. Umar said cataract was largely age-related and could not be completely prevented, although healthy living and proper control of blood pressure and blood sugar could help slow its progression. She said surgery remained the established treatment and warned residents against unproven eye drops being promoted as alternatives. Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Murtala Muhammad Bagana, said activities marking the day included 30 free cataract surgeries, comprehensive vision screening, treatment of non-surgical eye ailments, 200 free reading glasses and eye-care counselling. Bagana said the general screening and treatment exercise would take place from 9am to 2pm at the Eye Centre, General Hospital, Minna, as part of the World Sight Day activities. He urged residents not to wait until they could no longer see clearly before seeking medical attention, adding that the state eye health programme was collaborating with the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria, National Orientation Agency, Nigerian Optometric Association and other partners to strengthen eye-care awareness and services. Bagana also disclosed that a previous eye camp in the state had performed more than 200 cataract surgeries and provided over 1,000 eyeglasses. Also, the Permanent Secretary, Niger State Ministry of Health, Dr Abdullahi Imam, cautioned residents against relying on unproven eye drops for cataract, saying such products could delay patients from seeking appropriate treatment. Imam said the ministry was concerned about preventing avoidable blindness by ensuring that people with cataracts were identified and directed to appropriate care. He urged residents experiencing deteriorating vision to seek medical attention rather than depend on remedies whose effectiveness had not been established. 14,000 Niger residents blind from cataracts, 5,000 new cases recorded annually