On this World Optometry Day, we celebrate the remarkable journey of optometry in Ghana, a profession that has grown from humble beginnings into a thriving field. At the heart of this transformation is Dr. Francis Kojovi Morny (1919–2006), a man whose vision extended far beyond his time.
Born in Hohoe in the Volta Region and educated at Mfantsipim in the Central Region, Dr. F. K. Morny travelled to the United Kingdom, where he trained as an optician, the term for optometrists in those days, at the then University of Wales, Cardiff. Upon returning to the Gold Coast in the 50s, he built a successful private practice in Kumasi.
However, he foresaw a future crisis: without local training programs, Ghana’s optometry profession would eventually disappear as his generation passed.
At the time, optometry training was only available abroad—in the UK, the US, and a few other countries. Determined to change this, he began the Premier College of Optometry in the late 1980s with just four students and trained them in his private office.
His persistence led to a breakthrough when he convinced Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to establish a Postgraduate Diploma in Optometry, also beginning with five students. This later evolved into a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Optometry.
Still, he was not satisfied. He dreamed of a full-fledged optometry training system that could offer the highest qualifications. At 78 years old, rather than retiring, he enrolled at Abia State University in Nigeria for a two-year Doctor of Optometry (OD) top-up program.
Upon his return, he championed the establishment of an OD program at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), which, true to pattern, also started with five students.
His impact did not go unnoticed. In 2004, the World Council of Optometry (WCO) recognized him as the Father of Optometry in Africa.
On 10th March 2025, twenty three years after the UCC OD program began, and on what would have been his 106th birthday, history came full circle. The Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) approved the elevation of the UCC Department of Optometry and Vision Science into the School of Optometry and Vision Science, the first of its kind in West Africa.
From fewer than 20 optometrists in Ghana in the 1980s, the profession has expanded to over 600 optometrists serving in public and private practice, the military, academia, and research, both locally and internationally.
Research output has surged from zero in the 1980s to nearly 500 academic papers and over 5,000 citations currently. UCC Optometry is now mentoring other universities across Africa.
Dr. F. K. Morny saw beyond the present and worked tirelessly to build a transgenerational legacy. His story is a testament to the power of vision, determination, and the unwavering support of those who believed in his dream.
In this regard the diverse support from others like Mr Saint Gyimah Kesse, Dr. G. W. Brobbey, Prof. Keshaw Singh, Prof. Francis Boakye, all of KNUST; Rev. Prof. Addow-Obeng, Prof. Kobina Yankson, Prof. V. P. Y. Gadzekpo of UCC; as well as Prof. Ronald Eyime from Nigeria, Prof B. Mencias from the Philippines, and Prof. Shenni of the WCO were instrumental in turning this vision into reality. Their collective efforts gave life to the dream and shaped the profession as we know it now.
As we celebrate World Optometry Day, we honour not just the profession, but all optometrists trained in Ghana. Through their work in patient care, education, and research, they are the living proof that Dr F. K. Morny’s vision did not end with him, it continues in every eye they help see better. Ghanaian optometry stands tall today because a man, born and raised in Ghana, dared to dream, and then worked with others to make that dream a reality.
In this Ghana Month of March, his story is also a powerful reminder that Ghana has the talent and vision to solve its own challenges. God, bless our homeland Ghana.
By: Dr Enyam Morny
School of Optometry and Vision Science
University of Cape Coast
