Lagos State Government has intensified its glaucoma awareness campaign at the State Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja, as health officials, civil servants and eye care professionals embarked on a “Walk for Sight” to commemorate the 2026 World Glaucoma Week.
The awareness walk, organised by the Lagos State Ministry of Health, commenced at the Ministry’s premises and moved through several Ministries, Departments and Agencies within the Secretariat complex, including the Public Service Office, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Ministry of Finance, the State Treasury Office, Civil Service Commission and the Folarin Coker Staff Clinic.
Participants used the walk to sensitise workers and visitors at the Secretariat about the dangers of glaucoma and the importance of early detection through routine eye examinations.
Speaking during the event, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Dayo Lajide, described glaucoma as a “silent killer of sight,” noting that many people live with the condition unknowingly until permanent damage has already occurred.
She explained that although glaucoma does not cause death, loss of vision significantly affects the psychological wellbeing and productivity of individuals, adding that many victims gradually lose their sight without realising they have the condition.
Lajide urged Lagos residents to cultivate the habit of regular eye examinations, especially those with a family history of glaucoma or blindness, stressing that early detection remains the most effective way to prevent irreversible vision loss.
She added that civil servants can access free eye care services at the Blindness Prevention Programme Unit located at the Folarin Coker Staff Clinic, while members of the public can visit general hospitals and selected primary health centres across the state for screening and treatment.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs. Olayinka Modupe Ojo, commended the Ministry of Health for organising the campaign and encouraged public servants to take advantage of government-supported eye screening programmes and adopt healthy lifestyles that promote long-term eye health.
Earlier, the Director of Medical Administration, Training and Programmes at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Mazeedat Erinosho, noted that glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness globally after cataract, while the Chairperson of the Nigerian Optometric Association, Lagos Chapter, Dr. Gloria Okoekhian-Ogulu, warned that people of African descent are more predisposed to the disease and urged regular eye checks.
World Glaucoma Week is a global initiative aimed at promoting awareness, early diagnosis and preventive eye care.
