Children with visual impairment have lower school achievement, their self-confidence is negatively affected, and this can cause them to have difficulty playing games with their friends and withdraw from social interactions.

Today, refractive errors such as lazy eye, strabismus, myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism are commonly seen in children. Taking some precautions against visual impairments in childhood, eye checks and treatments provide individuals with healthy vision both in childhood and adulthood.

Light your child’s room correctly

Eye health is of great importance for children’s overall health and development. Vision plays a fundamental role in how children perceive the world, learn and carry out their daily activities. Children living in metropolitan areas spend most of their social life indoors in front of phones, tablets or computers. Prolonged screen exposure increases the risk of strabismus and myopia and causes eye fatigue and dry eyes. Reading without proper lighting and ergonomic conditions can also trigger visual impairment in children.  A large part of children’s learning process takes place through vision. Activities such as reading on the blackboard, getting information from books, interacting with digital screens require good eyesight. Children with vision problems may struggle with these activities, which can negatively affect their academic success. Vision problems can negatively affect children’s self-confidence, making social interactions difficult. Children who have difficulty playing games with their friends or performing daily activities may withdraw from social life. For this reason, it is of great importance for children to have regular eye checks in order to diagnose and treat vision problems early.

Digital screen exposure impairs distance vision the most

Children’s living habits have led to a rapid increase in the number of myopia, or nearsightedness. Factors such as excessive use of digital devices, spending more time indoors and decreased exposure to natural daylight increase the risk of developing myopia. Myopia not only necessitates the need for glasses or contact lenses, but also increases the risk of developing serious eye diseases later in life. Regular eye checks allow myopia to be detected in the early stages and ensure that the necessary measures are taken to slow its progression.

Early detection facilitates the resolution of vision problems

Eye problems in children can often be treated more easily and effectively when diagnosed at an early age. Common eye problems such as lazy eye (amblyopia), strabismus, refractive errors (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism) can be treated with early intervention. If not diagnosed early, these problems can lead to permanent vision loss. Regular eye examinations are important not only to detect existing vision problems, but also to monitor overall eye health. During the examination, ophthalmologists check not only for visual defects, but also for signs of eye diseases, which are rare in children but can be serious. This way, any abnormalities can be recognized and treated early on. Ophthalmologists also provide guidance to children on the rules of screen use and how to maintain eye health.

Healthy vision is crucial for healthy growth

Regular eye check-ups for children are vital to ensure their healthy growth and development. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent potential vision problems and contribute to children’s overall health. Parents should not neglect their children’s eye health and should consult an ophthalmologist for regular eye examinations. Children who grow up without vision problems in childhood have fewer vision problems in adulthood.

December 2024

Contrary to popular belief, rheumatism is not limited to joints, muscles and bones, but can affect many organs. One of these organs is the eye. Therefore, it is important for patients diagnosed with rheumatism to be examined by a specialist ophthalmologist.

The eye can be a target for rheumatic diseases. Rheumatic diseases can cause diseases such as uveitis, scleritis, inflammation of the sclera, the white layer of the eye, or dry eye. Uveitis is the general name given to inflammation of the uvea, one of the inner layers of the eye. Rheumatic diseases can affect vessels of all sizes as well as connective tissues. The eye, which is unique in terms of its vascular structure, can be the target of rheumatic diseases. Because of these features, rheumatic patients should also be monitored for involvement of the eye tissues.

Some medications used in treatment may have negative effects on the eye

Some drugs used in the treatment of rheumatic diseases can have adverse effects on the eye and glaucoma can be caused by systemic steroid use. Another drug used in the treatment of rheumatic diseases is hydroxychloroquine, which is cheap, easily accessible and highly effective. This drug, which is a derivative of quinine originally used in the treatment of malaria, is generally recognized as a safe drug in terms of side effects. As a result of drug accumulation in the retina, the mesh layer of the eye, narrowing of the visual field may occur. These side effects end when the drug is discontinued under the supervision of a doctor. It was observed that the visual field returned to its previous level in the patient in whom the drug was discontinued. For this reason, it is recommended that patients using these quinine-derived drugs should be examined by an ophthalmologist at 6-12 month intervals in relation to the dose they use and have appropriate optical coherence tomography (OCT), multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) and fundus autofluorescence tests, taking into account their clinical characteristics, especially the visual field.

December 2024

Several studies have shown that exercise is a good way to reduce the risk of eye diseases. Research has shown that exercise acts as a protective mechanism against certain eye diseases.

Regular exercise can slim your waistline and improve your mood. Several studies in humans have suggested that exercise can help prevent serious eye diseases such as macular degeneration. Researchers say the new study is interesting because it directly examines how physical activity changes cells and tissues in the eye.

Exercise supports healthy blood vessels in the eye

After four weeks of research, he applied a laser to the eye to simulate the changes that occur in people with age-related vision loss. After this treatment, those who were physically active had up to 45% less eye damage than those who were not. The study suggests that exercise may protect against the overgrowth of blood vessels that occurs in eye conditions such as macular degeneration.

Regular physical activity can improve eye health

Scientists are still working to understand how exercise protects the human eye. Their discoveries could unlock treatments for a range of eye conditions. If you already have an eye disease, exercise can help you manage it better. One study found that people who engage in moderate physical exercise are less likely to develop glaucoma than people who are inactive. Physical activity can also help people with diabetes to keep their disease under control. This reduces the risk of complications, including diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of vision loss among working-age adults.

December 2024