Health
PT HEALTH WATCH: Delayed treatment of childhood cataracts can lead to irreversible vision loss
Cataracts are often associated with ageing, but eye specialists say children can also develop the condition, sometimes from birth, with delayed diagnosis capable of causing permanent vision loss.
A cataract occurs when the eye’s natural lens, which is normally clear, becomes cloudy. This prevents light from passing properly into the eye, resulting in blurred or reduced vision.
Although the condition is more common among older adults, experts say it can also affect babies and children.
Experts warn that poor awareness, excessive screen exposure, self-medication and late hospital visits are worsening eye problems among children, even as many parents wrongly believe children are “too young” to have serious eye conditions.
Studies reveal that childhood cataract contributes between 7.4 and 15.3 per cent of childhood blindness globally, with delayed diagnosis and treatment remaining a major challenge in developing countries like Nigeria.
The study warned that many children are brought to hospitals after the critical stage of visual development, increasing the risk of irreversible blindness even after treatment.
According to a report on paediatric eye care in Nigeria published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), childhood blindness accounts for between five and 10 per cent of the country’s blindness burden, with nearly 70 per cent of cases considered preventable or treatable if detected early.
The report identified childhood cataract as one of the leading causes of avoidable blindness among Nigerian children, while also highlighting shortages of specialised paediatric eye care services across the country.
Speaking with PT Health Watch, Samuel Osayamen, a senior ophthalmologist, said childhood cataracts are not uncommon and can significantly affect a child’s vision and brain development if left untreated.
Causes beyond ageing
Mr Osayamen explained that cataracts in children may be congenital, meaning present at birth, or acquired later due to injuries, medications, infections or underlying medical conditions.
He said infections during pregnancy, including rubella, chickenpox, hepatitis and cytomegalovirus, can affect unborn babies and increase the risk of congenital cataracts.
“If these infections are left untreated, they could affect the baby and eventually lead to congenital cataracts when the child is born,” he said.
Mr Osayamen noted that genetics also play a significant role in some childhood cataract cases.
According to him, certain genetic mutations and inherited conditions can cause changes in the eye’s lens, resulting in cloudy vision.
He added that maternal use of some medications, such as tetracycline, diabetes during pregnancy, birth injuries, trauma and inflammatory conditions may also contribute to the development of cataracts in children.
Mr Osayamen further warned that traumatic cataracts are becoming increasingly common among children due to domestic accidents and unsafe play.
“We have had cases where children playing at home accidentally injured one another in the eye, leading to traumatic cataracts,” he said.
Signs parents should watch for
Mr Osayamen expressed concern about excessive screen exposure among toddlers and young children, warning that prolonged use of tablets and mobile phones may contribute to vision problems and developmental challenges.
“Some parents give babies tablets for long hours just to keep them occupied. In the long run, it may cause more harm than good,” he said.
He also cautioned against self-medication, noting that inappropriate treatment could lead to eye complications.
The specialist advised parents to prioritise regular eye examinations, ensure proper nutrition and seek medical attention promptly whenever unusual changes in their children’s vision are noticed.
He noted that many children may not complain about poor eyesight, making parental observation particularly important.
According to him, warning signs may include moving unusually close to television screens, difficulty following light or objects, poor eye contact, a whitish appearance in the eye, or difficulty recognising objects.
“When your child constantly moves very close to the television, it could mean the child is not seeing properly,” he said.
Unlike adults, he explained, children often adapt quietly to poor vision, making early detection more difficult.
Risk of permanent damage
Mr Osayamen warned that untreated cataracts can permanently affect the connection between the eyes and the brain during a child’s development.
“One of the worst complications is amblyopia, also called lazy eye. The eye gradually becomes used to not seeing clearly and, later, nothing can reverse it,” he said.
He explained that some children may also develop strabismus, commonly known as squint, in which the eyes become misaligned because the brain begins to ignore the weaker eye.
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He added that untreated cataracts may also lead to uncontrolled eye movements known as nystagmus, commonly referred to as “dancing eyes”.
On the use of glasses at an early age, Mr Osayamen said many children wear them because of refractive errors such as short-sightedness or long-sightedness, which may be hereditary.
He stressed that wearing glasses from an early age should not be viewed as abnormal or harmful.
“Glasses help the child to see clearly and support proper eye development. They do not automatically remove the condition causing the poor vision,” he said.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has confirmed 48 deaths and 182 cases of severe illness following the reported consumption of locally prepared alcoholic and herbal concoctions in parts of Ondo State.
The agency, in a statement dated on Friday and signed by its Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Mojisola Adeyeye, a professor, said the affected communities are mainly in Odigbo Local Government Area, including New Town, Odole, Okele, Orita Odigbo, Araromi-Obu and Oniparaga.
According to the agency, Odigbo town and Araromi-Obu recorded the highest impact, while cases have also been reported in Irele Local Government Area.
It stated that the figures, recorded as of 17 September, remain subject to verification as surveillance and investigations continue.
Given further breakdown, the agency noted that among 182 recorded cases confirmed, 90 people were admitted to hospitals and subsequently discharged while 31 were treated as outpatients and six remained hospitalised.
“As of 17th September 2026, a total of 182 cases have been recorded, with 48 deaths confirmed,” the agency stated.
Also, five affected persons had been rendered totally blind, while two others suffered partial blindness.
The agency’s preliminary findings found that those affected reportedly developed symptoms including headaches, generalised weakness and body pain, visual disturbances, difficulty breathing and altered consciousness, with some cases deteriorating rapidly.
NAFDAC’s examination on the substance
NAFDAC’s preliminary laboratory findings have raised fresh concerns over what was contained in the drinks consumed by the victims.
The agency said it subjected 15 unlabelled samples of the herbal concoction to laboratory examination which includes toxicity testing, and chemical analysis.
However, its preliminary laboratory investigation revealed that more than 73 per cent of the collected samples tested positive for cannabis indica, and gas chromatography on the samples confirmed the presence of high concentrations of methanol, a highly toxic substance capable of causing blindness, organ failure and death.
“Preliminary findings are gravely concerning: 11 of the 15 samples tested positive for cannabis indica, and gas chromatography confirmed the presence of high concentrations of methanol,” NAFDAC said.
The agency added that the result of acute oral toxicity tests conducted on the samples recorded approximately 50 per cent mortality among laboratory mice in six of the 15 samples analysed. It stated that the finding indicated “significant toxic potential” in the samples.
NAFDAC, however, cautioned that its laboratory findings remain preliminary, saying further confirmatory analyses are being conducted to establish the precise concentration of methanol and identify other potentially toxic substances in the concoctions.
The agency said the combination of the laboratory findings and the deaths and severe illnesses recorded among consumers warranted urgent regulatory and public health action.
As part of its response to the issue, the agency said 15 suspects had been arrested in connection with the suspected production, sale and distribution of the implicated alcoholic and herbal beverages.
“Surveillance, case management, and risk-control measures are actively ongoing across the affected communities, in coordination with relevant public health authorities,” the statement said.
The agency warned members of the public against consuming unlicensed, unregistered and locally prepared alcoholic or herbal concoctions whose contents are unknown.
“NAFDAC strongly warns the public against the purchase or consumption of unlicensed, unregistered, and locally prepared alcoholic or herbal concoctions of unknown composition,” the agency said.
Nigeria faces serious menace from unregulated herbal concoctions, often hawked on the streets and market places and promoted on social media. Many of these conctions have been linked to serious health risks including breathing problems, kidney and liver stress, and heavy metal poisoning.
Weak regulation, aggressive marketing, and widespread self-medication are fueling their proliferation.
In June 2023, an investigative report jointly published by PREMIUM TIMES and Dubawa, revealed through an extensive independent laboratory analysis that continuous consumption of a concoction known as “Sacra Herbs” or “Baba Aisha Herbal Medicine” posed a massive safety risk.
READ ALSO: NAFDAC orders recall, destruction of alcohol in sachets, PET bottles
It established that the concoction, popular in Abuja and some northern states, contained ttoxic components that could cause acute kidney, liver, and lung injuries, as well as cancer.
The investigation revealed that the herbal medicine was being manufactured inside a residential facility under highly unhygienic conditions, completely violating Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).
The authorities initially clamped down on the producer, Salisu Sani, who called himself “Dr. Baba Aisha”, but no decisive enforcement action that could serve as deterence is known to have been carried out.
While the product carried NAFDAC registration numbers, the investigation proved that the numbers were either invalid or long-expired (having expired over three years prior).
The report also revealed failure of NAFDAC and health regulatory bodies to conduct proper due diligence and for allowing a toxic, unregistered product to be heavily marketed and sold to millions of citizens.
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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged African countries to strengthen patient safety in the care of people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, made the call on Thursday in a message to mark World Patient Safety Day 2026, themed “Safe care for noncommunicable diseases”, with the slogan “Safe care for life!”
NCDs include conditions such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and chronic respiratory diseases.
“For a person living with diabetes, cancer, heart disease or a chronic respiratory condition, health care is rarely a single encounter,” he said.
“It may involve years of consultations, tests, medicines, referrals and treatment. Each interaction should improve health, yet each can also expose a patient to avoidable harm.”
NCDs in Africa
Mr Janabi said NCDs caused at least 43 million deaths globally in 2021 and accounted for 37 per cent of all deaths in the WHO African Region in 2019.
He said the proportion had increased from 24 per cent in 2000.
“Nearly two-thirds of NCD deaths in the Region are premature, compared with 41.7 per cent globally,” he said.
According to WHO, NCDs are also a major cause of long-term disability and loss of function in the region.
“Their growing burden is linked to risk factors including unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, hypertension, obesity and air pollution,” he noted.
Patients face several safety risks
Mr Janabi said patients living with NCDs could suffer harm from delayed or missed diagnoses, medication errors, adverse drug interactions, poor follow-up and inadequate communication when they move between health services.
He said the risks could occur at different stages of care, including diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, palliative care and self-management.
He added that stigma, discrimination and difficulties accessing essential medicines and health technologies could further increase the risks faced by patients.
“Expanding access to NCD services must therefore go hand in hand with improving their safety and quality,” Mr Janabi said.
Stronger primary healthcare
Mr Janabi further said stronger primary healthcare could improve continuity of care, enable earlier identification of health problems and help coordinate services across different levels of the health system.
READ ALSO: Ebola outbreak spreads to 61 health zones in DRC — WHO
He also called for health workers to receive practical guidance, reliable supplies and supportive workplaces where errors can be reported and used to improve care without fear of blame.
He urged African countries to integrate patient safety into NCD policies and programmes, strengthen systems for reporting and learning from harm, and invest in health worker training and the safe use of medicines and technologies.
He also called on patients and families to ask questions and raise concerns whenever aspects of their care are unclear.
“Every person should be protected from avoidable harm throughout their health journey,” Mr Janabi said.
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