Registrar of Optometrists and Dispencing Opticians Registration Board of Nigeria, in conjunction with the police and Minister of Health raided some areas on Lagos Island and arrested eight suspected fake optometrists.

Vice Chairman of Nigeria Optometrists Association, Lagos State chapter, John Sedi, who confirmed the arrest, said some eye glasses and some equipment for optometrists were recovered.

Sedi said the raid was one way to save many Nigerians eyes from being damage, and also to sensitized public of the danger in patronizing quacks.

According to him, the raid would be a continuous exercise, expressing sadness over large number of people patronising quacks, urging the public to always patronise genuine optometrists.

He said eight suspects arrested would be investigated by the police and prosecutes those culpable.

The Registrar of the board, Professor Ebere Uzodike said ten percent of blindness in Nigeria was caused by the use of fake eye glasses.

Uzodike said the raid became necessary in view of the damage the quacks had done on innocent public daily and the profession, lamenting that fake optometrists were many around Lagos Island, particularly, Tinubu Square area.

She said the exercise was being carried out in conjunction with the police, Ministry Health and Lagos chapter of the association.

Some eye glass frame sellers in the area commended the board and police for the raid, stressing that the exercise was overdue.

One of the sellers, who simply identified himself as Seyi said some untrained persons in the area were dispensing drugs and providing recommended glasses to patients.