In Senegal, road accidents continue to wreak havoc, causing considerable human and material losses. However, an often-overlooked factor is resurfacing with insistence: vision problems among drivers. This observation is clear for Aissatou Wane, a full professor of ophthalmology at Iba Der Thiam University (UIDT) in Thiès, who warns of the magnitude of this public health problem.

"Nearly 20% of the causes of accidents are linked to undetected visual disorders," reveals the specialist, on the sidelines of a free consultation day organized on October 18, 2025 at the Beaux-Maraîchers bus station in Dakar.

An alarming figure that highlights a gap in the current system for issuing driving licenses, where eye tests are considered insufficient to detect certain visual deficits that are incompatible with driving.

Faced with this emergency, the UIDT's Madoune Robert Ndiaye Vision Center launched a project in 2023 entitled "Contribution to the reduction of road accidents through the visual field." The initiative aims to systematically assess drivers' binocular visual field, an essential parameter but often neglected in standard examinations.

"It is within the framework of this project that we organized this free screening campaign. It is part of our efforts to strengthen road safety through better monitoring of drivers' visual aptitude," explains Professor Wane.

Since the project's launch, 264 drivers have been examined, and the results are worrying. 10.2% of them have vision deemed incompatible with safe driving, while 5% require regular monitoring to prevent deterioration of their visual capacity.

But the center's ambition is much broader. Over the next few months, it plans to screen up to 2,500 drivers, free of charge, at its premises at the UFR Santé in Thiès. And for those diagnosed with visual impairments, medical support is provided, depending on the center's capacity.

The initiative also benefits from the support of the Senegalese Opticians Association, which has pledged to provide corrective glasses to drivers in need. This gesture of solidarity could make a real difference, allowing them to continue practicing their profession safely.

In the meantime, the Madoune Robert Ndiaye Vision Center project continues to pave the way for better prevention, with a vision of reducing the number of avoidable accidents on Senegalese roads.