The Federal Government says it will conduct 25,000 free cataract surgeries nationwide by the end of 2027 to tackle avoidable blindness and expand access to quality eye care services. It brought together eye care professionals and stakeholders to discuss strategies for strengthening optometry practice and eye healthcare delivery. According to him, approximately 66 per cent of beneficiaries received their first-ever pair of spectacles through the intervention, highlighting the significant unmet need for eye care services. Salako described optometrists as the frontline of community eye health, emphasising that their expertise remained critical to achieving universal eye health coverage and reducing preventable blindness nationwide. Ninkpe urged governments, development partners and industry stakeholders to invest in faculty development, clinical infrastructure, digital learning, African-led research and artificial intelligence applications for eye care.