Glaucoma Awareness: Importance of Early Eye Checkups

Alhaja Abike Ojuolape, 65, has been selling provisions at Ladega Market in Ikorodu and was diagnosed with advanced glaucoma in her right eye and early-stage glaucoma in her left eye during Glaucoma Awareness Month in March 2026. She advises others to seek eye checkups early.

Lekan Alabi, a 28-year-old graphic designer in Ketu, Lagos, discovered he had early-stage open-angle glaucoma during a free medical outreach organized by GoldCrest Family Centre. He was surprised by his diagnosis, as he experienced no symptoms.

Alabi learned that if he had waited five more years, he could have begun losing side vision. Experts describe glaucoma as a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, often caused by high intraocular pressure, and refer to it as the "silent thief of sight." The disease can progress without noticeable symptoms, leading to irreversible vision loss.