Tema-Ghana, March 20, GNA – Dr. Isaac Asirifi, the Resident Optometrist at the International Maritime Hospital (IMaH) has revealed that patronage of wayside spectacles is dangerous and must be discouraged.
“You buy a cheap product that could jeopardize your eye conditions tomorrow, “Dr. Asirifi stated at the weekly “Your Health! Our Concern! A Ghana News Agency Tema Regional Office initiative aimed at promoting communication on health-related and setting the medium for the propagation of health information to influence personal health choices.
“You will find street vendors and pharmacies vending spectacles. However, these outfits do not have the required professionals and training necessary for dispensing spectacles, so it is improper to select such places as the place of choice for acquiring spectacles,” he warned.
The IMaH Resident Optometrists described spectacles as visual aids used to enhance the quality of vision and protect the eyes from exposure to direct contact to several environmental factors, which could be detrimental to the eyes of the individual.
“They can also be used for the correction of several conditions including the doubling of vision and latent and manifest deviations of the eyes, therefore, acquiring it from the wayside can rather endanger your eyes,” he said.
Dr. Asirifi urged the public to acquire spectacles from either an eye clinic or an optical shop, “the eye clinic usually has departments that test for the spectacle prescription, display the spectacle frames and fit the lenses into frames”.
He explained that to acquire a spectacle, one must go through several tests performed by the optometrist for a prescription to be arrived at.
“A proper eye examination will not only give the spectacle prescription but can also expose other conditions that could be present but showing no symptoms like glaucoma, hypertension, and diabetes,” he said.
