Seychelles Centennial Women Lion’s Club   |12 November 2022

Ile Perseverance primary pupils and teachers get free vision screening

By far the most important organs of sense are our eyes. Our eyes help us take in the world around us and play an important role right from our early childhood development until we get older.

Getting regular eye exams can keep our eyes healthy and help us identify any vision problems.

Ophthalmologists say that many problems in regards to eye diseases can be treated, especially when they are found early.

It is said that 60% of the blindness in the world can be cured while 20% can be prevented.

The first step for prevention is awareness while the next step is early detection through vision screening.

In this regard, the Seychelles Centennial Women Lion’s Club (SCWLC) has collaborated with the Ministry of Education and Dr Sithra Chetty’s eye clinic to screen the pupils of Ile Perseverance primary school.

The event took place on October 27, 2022 and a second phase was conducted on November 3, 2022.

In total, about 60 students and 40 teachers had their eyesight tested resulting in about 10% of detection of vision problems.

The SCWLC took this opportunity to promote awareness on eye health among students.

“This way we are able to identify vision issues, which can be corrected with existing advancement on technologies and thereby improve their quality of day-to-day life. It is undeniable that eyesight issues on children are mostly identified at classrooms and most of the time by their teachers. Not being able to see properly can affect children’s attention, reading skills and participation in class activities, impacting their social interaction and behaviour. Early identification leads to timely referral, professional treatment, and improved or restored sight,” says a spokesperson for the SCWLC.

Dr Chetty emphasised the importance of good sleep, eating healthy and proper lighting while studying or doing homeworks for protecting our eyesights.

The students and some of the members from the SCWLC had a chance to discuss on being mindful about their screentime while using mobile phones and laptops.

Last but not the least; we cannot complete this article without appreciating the fantastic efforts of the management, teachers and students of Ile Perseverance school for their delightful performances with their beautiful song and graceful Creole dance leaving their memories in our heart forever.

Together be the champions of service!

Contributed by Seychelles Centennial Women Lion’s Club