Cataract remains the leading cause of blindness in Ghana, with an estimated 165,000 Ghanaians currently blind as a result of the condition, according to the Ghana Health Service (GHS).
The figure represents more than half of the country’s total blind population of 250,000. Each year, new cases of cataract-related blindness account for about 20% of existing cases.
The Head of the National Eye Care Unit of the GHS, Dr. Hornametor Afake, revealed this at the launch of World Sight Day 2025 in Accra on Friday.
The global event, observed under the theme “Increasing Access to Quality Eye Care in Ghana,” aims to raise awareness of blindness and visual impairment while advocating accessible and affordable eye care services for all.
Dr. Afake noted that despite cataract being treatable, Ghana performs less than 30,000 cataract surgeries annually, far below the estimated 68,000 surgeries needed each year to clear the existing backlog within three years.
“Currently, our surgical cataract coverage is about 18 per cent. This means that for every 100 cataract patients who need surgery, only 18 have received it,” he said, calling for urgent action to expand services across all regions.
He attributed the situation to inadequate human resources, limited equipment, and poor distribution of specialists. Ghana currently has 141 ophthalmologists, 570 optometrists, 900 ophthalmic nurses, and 800 opticians, figures that, though improved, remain unevenly distributed.
Dr. Afake pointed out that six regions, Western North, Savannah, North East, Upper West, Upper East, and Oti, have no ophthalmologists at all, leaving large populations without access to specialized eye care.
He further identified financial constraints, low public awareness, and late presentation of diseases such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy as key barriers to timely treatment.
Other Causes of Blindness
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in Ghana, affecting around 60,000 people or 19.4% of all blind individuals. Posterior segment diseases, including diabetic retinopathy and corneal opacities, account for 12.9% and 11.2%, respectively.
Calls for Regular Eye Screening
The Director of the Family Health Division of the GHS, Dr. Kennedy Britson, urged the public to undergo regular eye screening and avoid applying unverified concoctions to their eyes.
“If your eyesight is disturbing you, please seek quick help. Don’t try and pick someone’s glasses or self-medicate. Your problem may be different,” he advised.
The immediate past president of the Ophthalmological Society of Ghana, Dr. Dzifa Ofori-Adjei, encouraged citizens to champion eye health and urged the government to invest in infrastructure, ensure fair distribution of specialists, and enact key health legislation.
Meanwhile, Dr. Hafez Adam Taher, Director of Technical Coordination at the Ministry of Health, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving access to quality eye care, noting that eye health forms an integral part of Ghana’s national health agenda.
World Sight Day is observed globally to advocate for the prevention of avoidable blindness. The World Health Organization estimates that 2.2 billion people worldwide live with vision impairment or blindness, nearly one billion of which could have been prevented or remain unaddressed.
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