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 federal government has launched the National Guidelines for Public Procurement of Food and Related Services.
The framework introduces nutrition standards for food purchased with public funds as part of efforts to reduce unhealthy diets and curb the growing burden of non-communicable diseases in Nigeria.
The guidelines, unveiled on Monday in Abuja at an event themed “Public Procurement of Food: Promoting a Culture of National Wellness Through the Food Value Chain,” are expected to influence food served in public institutions, including schools, hospitals, correctional centres and military establishments, by setting evidence-based standards on nutrition, food safety and quality.
Delivering his keynote address at the launch, the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, said the initiative marks a shift from viewing public procurement as a routine administrative process to using it as a strategic tool to improve public health and national development.
“When the government demands healthier, safer and more nutritious food, it creates incentives for the entire food system to innovate, improve quality and align with higher public health standards,” he said.
Why it matters
Mr Salako said the government remains the country’s largest institutional purchaser of food, meaning procurement decisions have the potential to influence food production, consumer behaviour and nutrition standards across the food value chain.
According to him, the guidelines establish limits on sodium, sugar and unhealthy fats in foods procured by public institutions while encouraging balanced and nutritious diets.
He said the document complements existing national policies, including the National Guideline for Sodium Reduction, the Trans Fat Regulation and the 2023 National Policy on Food Safety and Quality.
Rising burden of unhealthy diets
Mr Salako noted that unhealthy diets contribute to about 7.2 million deaths globally every year, driven largely by excessive consumption of salt, sugar and unhealthy fats as well as inadequate intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
He revealed that the average Nigerian adult consumes between 3.9 grammes and 4.9 grammes of sodium daily, almost double the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended limit of 2 grammes.
Mr Salako added that increasing consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has contributed to rising rates of obesity and diabetes, prompting the introduction of the sugar-sweetened beverage tax, while industrial trans fats have also been restricted under Nigeria’s Trans Fatty Acid Regulation.
“These measures are designed to control dietary patterns that fuel the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, placing enormous pressure on health systems, national economies and household incomes,” he said.
Child malnutrition remains a concern
Mr Salako also highlighted the country’s persistent nutrition challenges, noting that malnutrition remains a direct or underlying cause of nearly half of the deaths among children under five years.
He said the Nigeria Mini Demographic and Health Survey found that about four in every 10 Nigerian children under five are stunted, while nearly two million children suffer severe acute malnutrition annually.
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“These are not merely health statistics. They represent profound human capital challenges with significant implications for educational attainment, labour productivity, household prosperity, national competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.”
Implementation key
Mr Salako stressed that the success of the guidelines would depend on effective implementation rather than their launch.
He urged procurement and accounting officers across government institutions to ensure compliance, noting that procurement decisions influence health outcomes, productivity and public confidence in government.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would continue to promote disease prevention through healthier public policies as part of efforts to achieve universal health coverage.
The federal government has said it is expanding funding, local drug production and research to improve cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment while easing patients’ financial burden.
The Director-General of the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment (NICRAT), Usman Aliyu, said this on Saturday in Abuja at the Best of American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Africa 2026 conference.
The conference, organised in collaboration with the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), has the theme: “From Global Discovery to Local Delivery: Driving Africa to the Cutting Edge of Cancer Care.”
Mr Aliyu said the government had introduced measures to make cancer care more affordable, although treatment remained beyond the reach of many Nigerians.
He said the Catastrophic Health Fund under the National Health Insurance Authority subsidised cancer prevention, diagnosis, chemotherapy and radiotherapy for eligible patients.
He added that NICRAT operated the National Cancer Health Fund to support indigent cancer patients unable to afford treatment.
“These are initiatives by the government to support Nigerians suffering from this dreadful disease,” he said.
Mr Aliyu said the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain would promote local production of cancer medicines and improve access to affordable treatment.
He said experts at the conference would review landmark studies presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting and adapt proven innovations to African health systems.
“We are trying to domesticate expensive treatments by producing much-needed medicines locally and translating global research into action in our clinics,” he said.
Financial protection
Lolade Adewale, Special Adviser on Research and Innovation to the Minister of State for Health, said government was expanding financial protection for cancer patients through targeted insurance schemes.
Ms Adewale said the Cancer Health Fund and the Social Determinants of Health Fund would improve access to treatment for eligible patients.
“Within the next year, you will hear more about it,” she said, referring to efforts to strengthen cancer insurance coverage.
She said Nigeria had commenced three immunotherapy clinical studies for the first time, giving patients access to advanced medicines previously unavailable in the country.
According to her, medicines such as Nivolumab and Keytruda are now available through clinical trials at no cost to participating Nigerians, reducing the need to seek treatment abroad.
Also speaking, Immediate Past President of AORTIC, Miriam Mutebi, said Africa accounted for only about eight per cent of global cancer research.
She said the continent’s research output remained inadequate, especially for cervical and prostate cancers, in spite of their high disease burden.
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Ms Mutebi urged African governments to fulfil their commitment to dedicate one per cent of Gross Domestic Product to research and development.
She said stronger domestic investment would generate evidence to improve diagnosis, treatment completion, patient experience and health systems.
The Chief Medical Officer of ASCO, Julie Gralow, said many breakthrough cancer therapies had not been adequately tested among African populations.
Ms Gralow said the conference would help determine how global evidence could be adapted to African settings while addressing affordability and access.
She said the ASCO-AORTIC partnership focused on workforce development, clinical research and training the next generation of African cancer researchers.
According to her, the organisations will open the second round of the Sub-Saharan Africa Clinical Research Scholars Programme in October.
AORTIC Vice-President for North America, Abiola Ibraheem, said the initiative was designed to bridge the gap between cancer care available in high-income countries and Africa.
She urged African countries to work collectively to improve access to innovative cancer therapies through a continental approach.
Ms Ibraheem said participation had grown significantly since the inaugural conference in Ethiopia, attracting more countries, sponsors and stakeholders committed to advancing cancer care across Africa.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the conference brought together oncologists, researchers, policymakers and development partners from across Africa and beyond.
Participants reviewed major scientific advances presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting and explored how they could be applied within African health systems.
(NAN)
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