In a bid to bridge Uganda’s glaring shortage of eye specialists—currently fewer than 500 professionals for a population of 45.9 million—eyewear company Lapaire Uganda has rolled out a new initiative aimed at motivating students to pursue careers in optometry and eye care.
As part of this drive, the company hosted an Open Day at its Ntinda branch on Saturday where secondary school students, teachers, and parents were introduced to the world of eye health and its vast career opportunities. 
According to John Hilary Balyejusa, Lapaire’s Public Relations and Communications Executive, the initiative is designed to reach young people at a critical stage when they are still shaping their career choices.
“We have organised Lapaire Open Day to expose students to optometry as a career path. Uganda has less than 500 eye specialists for nearly 50 million people. That makes access to eye health very difficult. By inspiring students now, we hope to build the next generation of eye specialists who can serve the country better.”
During the event, students interacted with practicing specialists, observed diagnostic procedures, and tested out professional equipment—an experience Balyejusa believes could ignite a lifelong passion for eye care. 
Highlighting that the field extends beyond clinical work, Mark Muoki, Lapaire’s Human Resource Manager, stressed the wider professional possibilities in the sector.
“Eye care is not only about eye specialists. It is also about sales, management, and running businesses that make services sustainable. What we want is for students to remember this inspiration years from now and hopefully join the industry as specialists, managers or salespeople.”
For many learners, it was a first-hand introduction to the science of vision care. Tennisha Birungi, a student from Rise and Shine High School Ntinda, shared her excitement:
“I didn’t know anything about eye specialists before today. I’ve learned about different glasses, materials, and how they are made. This initiative is very good—it’s going to help us as youth think beyond traditional careers like doctors or pilots, and also consider becoming eye specialists.”
But while companies like Lapaire are nurturing interest, sector experts say more systemic support is needed. Eye specialist Jackline Baboneraawo used the platform to call on government to expand training opportunities.
“Currently, Uganda has very few schools training eye care specialists. We have Makerere for optometry and one school for ophthalmology in Jinja. That’s why the numbers remain low. If more institutions could be established, we would have a brighter future in eye care.”
She also encouraged Ugandans to be proactive about eye health.
“Everyone should have their eyes checked at least once a year. For those who spend long hours on screens, practice the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds to relax the eyes.” 
Beyond the Open Day, Lapaire continues to champion eye health through outreach programs in schools, with teenage mothers, among the elderly, and within workplaces under its “Eye Care at Work” campaign. The company also plans to participate in a national road safety initiative to raise awareness about poor vision as a cause of accidents.
By targeting students early, Lapaire hopes to build a pipeline of future specialists capable of transforming Uganda’s eye care landscape—making good vision not a privilege for the few, but a right for all.
