The Principal Investigator of the Point of Screening Ocular Tuberculosis Project (POS-Oc TB), Dr. Yewande O. Babalola of the Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan (CoMUI) has revealed that timely detection of ocular tuberculosis through screening is key to preventing severe vision impairment and loss.
Dr. Yewande O. Babalola made the disclosure while delivering the Faculty of Clinical Sciences Lecture titled “Ocular Tuberculosis Through the Looking Glass’’ on Wednesday, 16th September 2026, at the Paul Hendrickse Hall, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.
The lecture, the fifth from the Department of Ophthalmology since 1991 which addressed the disease in question and its public health implications, forms part of the university's academic tradition of showcasing research work to the wider community within and beyond the institution.
While emphasising the need for greater awareness of the disease among health workers because people living with HIV/AIDS are most prone to it, Dr. Babalola said not even one in over 6000 people knows that tuberculosis could affect the eye.
She explained that ocular tuberculosis can occur when mycobacterium tuberculosis, (the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB)), spreads through the blood stream from another infected part of the body to the eye and proceed to affect the various areas of the latter.
Dr. Babalola who is also a senior lecturer in the department pointed out that ocular TB may occur without obvious symptoms particularly in its early stages but when it does, the clinical presentations and manifestations may include blurred or reduced vision, eye redness, eye pain, sensitivity to light, floaters or spots in the field of vision and swelling or inflammation of the eye.
The lecturer also identified cigarette smoking, close or prolonged contact with TB patients, a weakened immune system and living in areas where TB is prevalent as risk factors that may increase the chances of contracting the disease. Dr. Babalola drew attention to the significant burden of tuberculosis in Nigeria, noting that the country accounts for up to 30% of all global cases, and highlighted that her research revealed a prevalence of ocular tuberculosis nearly doubled that found in a study conducted two decades earlier.
In his opening address, the Provost of the College of Medicine, Professor T. O. Ogundiran, emphasised the importance of the academic tradition, stating, "This is an academic tradition of the university that is very important for our academics to showcase what they have been working on and to disclose this to the wider community within and beyond the university."
The event attracted distinguished dignitaries including Professor T. A. Lawal, Dean of the Faculty of Clinical Sciences, (who read the lecturer's impressive citation), as well as past and present members of the College of Medicine management, heads of departments, sub-deans, consultants, residents, and medical students.
Key highlights of the lecture included the presentation of the Point of Screening for Ocular Tuberculosis (POS-OTB) Project, which Dr. Babalola leads as principal investigator, focusing on preventing blindness through screening of tuberculosis patients for ocular manifestations. The project has conducted training workshops across multiple departments including Medicine, Paediatrics, and the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), with preliminary data from over 1,000 screened patients revealing that approximately 90% showed ocular involvement. She also presented compelling case studies, including a 33-year-old patient whose asymptomatic ocular lesions were discovered despite normal vision, underscoring the importance of routine eye examinations.
The lecture holds significant implications for public health policy in Nigeria, with Dr. Babalola recommending that all patients with tuberculosis undergo eye examinations and calling for continued education of health workers to raise awareness about the neglected manifestations of the disease. The lecture was concluded with acknowledgements of collaborators including Stanford Medicine and Pfizer whose Global Health Fellowship supported the research, while the lecturer's citation noted her selection for the 2026 Cohort of Women Leaders in Global Health—a recognition that positions the University of Ibadan as a contributor to international medical scholarship and research excellence.
The Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, Professor Lawal at the post-lecture cocktail held at the AOK Johnson Boardroom afterward presented a commemorative plaque to Dr. Babalola in recognition of her lucid and insightful presentation.