Twenty doctors from the UCC Department of Optometry took part in the eye health outreach under the foundation's Eye Health Project, which took them to the Asenadze, Zongo, Nyamebekyere, Tayido, Ayedwe and Mfuom communities.

The beneficiaries were made up of over 80 adults and 20 schoolchildren.

About 50 beneficiaries were supplied with spectacles and sunglasses, free spectacle frames and drugs prescribed by the doctors.

The community members were also educated on eye health and related diseases, and ageism, while the vulnerable and elderly in the communities received food items.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Chief Executive Officer of Good Old Age Golden Foundation, Roberta Adutwumah Ntem, said the foundation had initiated the community Eye Health Project to engage key stakeholders to, among others, take collective action for improved eye health.

She said it was also to advocate the integration of eye care into national health policies to improve the eye health conditions of vulnerable Ghanaians, in support of the ongoing global drive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

She observed that the majority of the elderly beneficiaries were not aware of glaucoma and other diseases related to their eye health, and that one of the beneficiaries had lost his sight to glaucoma which could have been prevented if it was detected earlier.

Ms Ntem added that the foundation, in accordance with the United Nation's decade of Healthy Ageing, was working to combat ageism and create awareness of diseases associated with ageing, targeting glaucoma as part of its activities for the year 2023.

For her part, Baaba Yaaba Amoah, a final-year optometry student of the UCC, expressed regret that a large number of cases which were suspected glaucoma, cataract and allergic conjunctivitis which could cause blindness were prevalent in some communities and urged all to seek early attention.

One of the beneficiaries, Joseph Yandoh Akins, expressed gratitude to the foundation and the department of optometry of UCC for offering them the screening service.