Bridging the Eye Care Gap: Community-Based Ophthalmology in Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria faces a significant challenge in providing comprehensive eye care services to its vast and diverse population. The prevalence of preventable blindness and visual impairment is exacerbated by inadequate healthcare infrastructure, a shortage of trained ophthalmologists, and economic barriers limiting access to care. Community-based ophthalmology has emerged as a viable solution to bridge this eye care gap, leveraging local healthcare workers, outreach programs, and mobile clinics to extend services to underserved communities. This research paper explores the role of community-based ophthalmology in Nigeria, highlighting its effectiveness in improving access to care, reducing the burden of eye diseases, and fostering sustainable healthcare models. Through an in-depth analysis of existing programs, experimental studies on their impact, and an evaluation of outcomes, this study underscores the potential of decentralized eye care in mitigating Nigeria’s vision health crisis. The findings indicate that community-based interventions significantly enhance early detection, treatment, and prevention of eye diseases, demonstrating a cost-effective and scalable approach to improving national ophthalmic health outcomes.