The University of Cape Coast (UCC) School of Optometry and Vision Science (SOVS) has held its second White Coat Ceremony to usher 73 students into the clinical cycle of their training.
The event also served as an induction of the students into the professional culture of optometry and encouraged them to uphold the highest standards of care.
Held under the auspices of SOVS and the Ghana Optometric Association (GOA), the ceremony highlighted the role of optometrists in promoting quality eye health and providing compassionate patient care.
The event also witnessed the Refractive Error Day Symposium, an awareness initiative championed by GOA to promote accessible and affordable vision care for all. The symposium drew public attention to common refractive errors such as myopia (short-sightedness) and astigmatism, which could lead to blurry or unclear vision if not diagnosed and corrected.
Speaking on the theme, “Eyes on the Future: Refractive Error Correction Today, Success Tomorrow,” Prof. Emmanuel Kwesi Abu, a Professor of Optometry and keynote speaker, spoke extensively about the global burden of vision impairment.
A central focus of his address was the alarming surge in short-sightedness, particularly its high prevalence during adolescence. He outlined the escalating global trajectory of myopia, noting that global childhood and adolescent prevalence stood at 24.32% in 1990, climbed to a current reality of 35.81% by 2023, and is projected to reach 39.80% by 2050, affecting over 740 million young people globally.
He emphasized that this burden was not equally distributed across the world, showing that while East Asia remains the epicenter with a staggering 80–90% prevalence among older adolescents, Africa's lower measured myopia prevalence of 4.7% must not be mistaken for lower importance.
This regional evolution was further supported by historical projections tracking the global average and emerging threats in West Africa. Prof. Abu explained that these shifting numbers were heavily tied to modern environmental triggers and changing lifestyles.
Prof. Abu identified early schooling, smart classrooms, heavy screen use, and long hours of homework as some of the causes of refractive error, stressing that, despite being predominantly observed in adolescence, the condition, if left uncorrected, has a profound impact that cascades across every level of society.
He detailed how the burden compromises individual school performance and self-esteem, causes family dependency and financial stress, reduces national productivity, and quietly limits Africa's human capital.
He reminded the audience that the World Health Organization recognized uncorrected refractive error as a leading cause of vision impairment in children and adults, with severe implications for daily learning and social participation.
The Dean of the School, Prof. Stephen Ocansey, in his remarks, noted that the second White Coat ceremony marked the solid establishment of a permanent, proud tradition of clinical excellence.
He emphasized that the white coat is earned only through rigorous academic competence, ethics, and professional readiness required to transition into supervised patient care, deliberately aligning UCC with international best practices.
The guest speaker, Lt. Commander Prince Opuni Quarcoo, OD, and practicing optometrist, admonished the clinical students to adhere strictly to ethical professional practice.
Lt. Commander Quarcoo, who is also an alumnus of SOVS-UCC, emphasized the need to treat patients with absolute respect, honouring their fundamental right to autonomy and maintaining a high level of confidentiality, warning that a single careless conversation could destroy years of hard-earned professional reputation.
He also advised the students to recognize their individual weaknesses and consult or learn from those with superior knowledge. He stated that integrity must be their lifelong hallmark.
The dual ceremony was chaired by the Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Science, Prof. Rofela Combey, who represented the Ag. Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Denis Aheto.
Also present at the ceremony were the Provost of the College of Health and Allied Sciences, Prof. Martins Ekor, officials of GOA and the Ghana Health Service, as well as faculty members of SOVS.
Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC
