Ophthalmology Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Arif Ülkü Yener stated that visual impairments in children who come to the examination are detected by teachers or mobile health teams and said, “In some families, sensitive, careful parents can also notice this. For example, the child sits close to the television and squints. Such things indicate that there is a refractive error in the eye. The most important thing is to pay attention to hyperopia. While laziness cannot occur in myopes, it can occur in hypermetropes. Especially if there is a difference between the two eyes, if one eye is zero while the other is 2 or 3 degrees, laziness can definitely develop in the eye with the higher number. There is no treatment after the age of 12. Therefore, great attention should be paid. Early intervention is important for public health and professional success.”

Provided that hygiene is very careful, especially contact lenses are recommended

Stating that the use of glasses should be preferred after the diagnosis of visual impairments, Yener said, “There are microbial conditions that we see from time to time in contact lenses. It may even lead to loss of the eye. For this reason, we do not recommend contact lenses for children under the age of 10, but contact lenses can be used in a certain age range when people’s consciousness develops. This is usually after the ages of 12 and 13 or before the 40s and 50s. We do not recommend contact lenses for very old people, children under the age of 10, and people who cannot do their own personal care. We especially recommend contact lenses in high myopes, hypermyopes and in different

March 2024

Eye fatigue is one of the increasing ailments. This discomfort, which is frequently seen in people who constantly look at the computer or phone, can be treated with simple methods.

Eye fatigue, called “asthenopia” in medical language, is the fatigue of the eyes due to overwork of the optic nerves and small muscles. Eyes are very sensitive to lack of nutrition, lack of sleep, environmental pollution and muscle tension, and reading without a break, driving for a long time, spending too much time on digital screens and prolonged exposure to some lighting can cause eye fatigue. Although some eye diseases occur due to a genetic or medical condition, eye fatigue is not among these diseases.

Digital eye strain is one of the most common disorders of our age. Especially direct and long-term use of digital devices by children and adults leads to eye fatigue. Exposure to the screens of electronic devices such as phones and computers in childhood has been proven in studies to cause myopia in later ages.

Long-term screen time: Spending long hours in front of digital screens (computers, smartphones, tablets and TVs) can lead to digital eye strain, characterised by symptoms such as dry eyes, blurred vision and discomfort.

Poor lighting: Inadequate or excessive lighting in your workspace or environment can strain your eyes. Inadequate lighting can make it difficult to read or work, while overly bright lighting can cause glare and discomfort.

Uncorrected vision problems: If you have uncorrected vision problems such as nearsightedness, farsightedness or astigmatism, your eyes may work harder to focus, which can lead to eye strain.

Incorrectly prescribed glasses or contact lenses: Wearing the wrong prescription glasses or contact lenses or old lenses can cause eye discomfort and fatigue. Inadequate tear production or poor tear quality can cause dry eyes, which can lead to eye fatigue and discomfort.

Exposure to blue light: Prolonged exposure to blue light emitted from digital screens and artificial lighting can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle and contribute to eye strain.

Reading for long periods of time: Reading for long periods of time without taking breaks or using proper lighting can cause eye strain, often referred to as “reader’s fatigue”.

Poor ergonomics: An uncomfortable workstation setup, such as an improperly positioned computer monitor, keyboard or chair, can lead to awkward postures and eye strain.

Lack of blinking: When working on a computer or focusing intently on a task, people tend to blink less, which can lead to dry eyes and eye fatigue.

Exposure to allergens: Allergens such as dust, pollen or pet dander can irritate your eyes and cause eye strain, especially if you are allergic.

Eye diseases and conditions: Some eye conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration, can also cause eye strain, among other visual symptoms.

Eye fatigue is a condition that is very disturbing to people. Those seeking eye strain treatment should first make some changes in their lifestyle. Generally, eye strain is not a medically treated condition. However, in some cases, eye fatigue symptoms may also be the cause of conjunctivitis. It is necessary to be examined by an ophthalmologist for ongoing discomfort as a result of measures taken such as resting the eyes. To prevent and alleviate eye strain, it is very important to follow the 20-20-20 rule (take a 20 second break every 20 minutes and look at something 20 metres away), adjust your lighting and screen settings, maintain proper ergonomics, keep your prescription up to date and use artificial tears or lubricating eye drops when necessary.

March 2024

Pressure behind the eyes can feel like a throbbing, pressure or squeezing in the head, just behind the eye sockets.

The most common causes of pressure behind the eyes are;

• Headache: Especially tension-type headaches and migraines cause a feeling of pressure behind the eyes.
• Eye strain: Working long hours in front of a screen, not wearing glasses even though they are necessary, or inadequate eyeglass ratings can cause a feeling of pressure behind the eyes.
• Sinusitis: There are empty air-filled spaces called “sinuses” near our eyes and nose. Inflammation of these areas is called “sinusitis” and can cause a feeling of pressure behind the eyes.
• Dental problems: A toothache can be felt as pain or pressure behind the eye.
• Angle-closure glaucoma: There are several types of glaucoma (eye pressure). In open-angle glaucoma, the most common type of glaucoma, there is no pain, whereas in the so-called “angle-closure” type of glaucoma, pressure is felt in the eye and behind the eye.

What should we do if we feel pressure behind the eye?

• If you feel pressure behind the eye, you should consult an ophthalmologist.
• After performing a complete eye examination, your ophthalmologist may recommend that you also consult neurology, dental and ear-nose-throat departments if necessary.

October 2023

We often see eye yoga on social media… But does eye yoga really provide the claimed benefits? How do other yoga asanas (postures) affect our eye health?

Eye yoga reduces eye strain
In 2020, the International Journal of Yoga published a scientific study investigating the effects of eye yoga. One group practiced yoga eye exercises for 6 weeks and the other group did not practice yoga eye exercises. It was found that the symptoms of eye fatigue were reduced in those who did yoga eye exercises, while in the other group, the symptoms of eye fatigue were considerably higher. As a result of the study, yoga eye movements were found to help reduce eye strain symptoms and pain around the eyes by exercising the eye muscles.

Eye yoga does not correct myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism
The claim that eye yoga corrects eye disorders such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism is not true. In addition, eye yoga is not good for dry eyes and does not reduce dark circles under the eyes as claimed.

Some yoga asanas (postures) increase eye pressure
A scientific study published in 2023 investigated the effects of yoga postures on eye pressure in healthy individuals. This study included 107 volunteers practicing yoga. These volunteers practiced yoga at least 5 days a week for 12 weeks. Their eye pressure was measured before and after each posture before and every 4 weeks during the study. Some of the postures, including deep meditation and alternative breathing techniques, reduced intraocular pressure. But yoga headstand, bellows breathing and breath control temporarily increased intraocular pressure. If you suffer from glaucoma, you should avoid these yoga poses…

October 2023

Improper use of cosmetic products such as eye pencils, mascara and eyeliner used in eye makeup causes many diseases such as permanent eyelash loss, eye infection, droopy eyelids and temporary loss of vision.

Eye makeup, which is indispensable for women, can cause permanent eye damage when not applied consciously. Makeup, which is actively applied by some women every day, is sometimes applied by professional hands on special occasions. Mentioning that make-up products and applications used unconsciously pave the way for eye diseases, Ophthalmologist Op. Dr. Ebru Toprak Ün explained the ways to prevent eye diseases.

Beware of Products Sold in the Market
Products produced illegally under the stairs on the internet and in neighborhood markets can negatively affect your eye health. Because these products are very easy to access because they are cheap. People buy products they do not know what is in them because they are cheap and because they are fake productions of real brands. They think that we bought the right brand. These contain harmful chemicals such as cyanide, mercury and lead.

Stay Away from Cheap Products
Make-up products containing harmful chemicals bring many health problems. Long-term use of these makeup products is problematic because apart from allergic reactions such as swelling, rash, redness, absorption from the skin may pose a long-term risk in long-term use. Because we do not know which chemical is in the product used, how much carcinogenic, how harmful it is. Therefore, it is necessary to be careful with these products. We should not prefer very cheap products. Because there is a problem in it that it is cheaply made. Therefore, women should pay attention to these.

Do Not Apply Pencil Inside the Eye
The most important issue to be considered while applying eye makeup is not to apply any coloring matter into the eye. Makeup should be personal and everyone should use their own makeup. We should prefer water-based and more easily removable products, which are less harmful as they allow the skin to breathe more. Eye shadow and eyeliner can be applied on the eyelashes and lids. In addition, too much eyelid movement while applying eye shadow can cause drooping due to separation between the muscle fibers in the eyelid over time. For this reason, it is recommended not to play with the eyelid too much. People with allergic constitution should not use powder eyeshadow because it can fly and stick to the front surface of the cornea and cause an allergic reaction.

Prefer Water Based Products
If the material is smuggled into the eye, damage to the cornea while trying to clean it will lead to loss of vision. Therefore, water-based products should be preferred as they are

October 2023

According to a new study conducted in the UK, people with eye diseases have a higher risk of dementia.

In a study conducted in the UK, it was stated that people with conditions such as yellow spot disease, cataracts and diabetes-induced eye disease have a higher risk of developing dementia. In the study conducted on 12,364 adults aged 55-73, it was reported that the most risky group was people with diabetes-related eye disease. Experts evaluating the health data emphasized that the risk of developing dementia is 26% higher in people with age-related yellow spot disease. Researchers reported an 11% higher risk of dementia in those with cataracts and a 61% higher risk of dementia in those with diabetes-related eye disease, and underlined that eye pressure is not associated with dementia. Published on September 21, World Alzheimer’s Day, the study reported that visual impairments will affect more than 130 million people worldwide by 2050.

September 2023

Eye health, which is critical for children’s quality of life, is among the factors that directly affect school success.r.

It is very important to have your child’s eyes checked just before they start school to prevent a problem with vision from adversely affecting their adaptation to school. It is not uncommon for children who often get up from their seats and go near the blackboard because they cannot see the blackboard to be characterized as children with low school success and maladaptive children. It is sufficient to perform eye examinations every 2 years in healthy children at school age. Since children at this age are able to express themselves, their examinations do not differ significantly from those of adults. The most important difference is that if a refractive error is suspected, an examination with drops may be necessary until the age of 10-12, depending on the situation. At this age, children’s spectacle numbers can change very rapidly. Apart from routine examinations, headaches and eye pain are the exceptional conditions that require you to bring your child to the ophthalmologist as soon as possible. Apart from these, if your child complains of eye fatigue, blinks frequently, complains that he/she cannot see the blackboard or his/her achievement has dropped for no reason, squints while watching television or tends to approach the screen, a visit to the ophthalmologist is necessary. Prolonged screen activity in the preschool period is not recommended for both the child’s psychosocial development and eye health. Experts recommend limiting screen activity to one hour per day for 5-8 year olds and 2 hours per day for 9-12 year olds. This time should be divided into 2-3 parts and should never be exceeded.

September 2023

The eye may bleed due to various reasons. Bloodshot eyes may develop due to external factors or may be a harbinger of a different disease. So, what is good for bloodshot eyes? What causes blood in the eye? How does bloodshot eye recover? Here are the details about bloodshot eyes…

WHAT IS BLOODSHOT EYE?
Bloodshot eyes can also occur as a result of dilated blood vessels in the eye. The eye appears red as a result of the dilated blood vessels filling with blood. The reason for the dilation of the blood vessels is that the oxygen demand of the cornea layer covering the outside of the eye is not met. Under normal conditions, capillaries are not visible. However, in response to the lack of oxygen supply and the condensation of blood, the capillaries become visible. Therefore, there is a bloody appearance in the eye.

SYMPTOMS OF BLOODSHOT EYE
Bloodshot eyes can be defined as a bloody and vascular appearance in the white part of the eye. Redness in the white part of the eye, Itching and irritation, pain in the eye, feeling of fullness in the eye, blurred vision, restricted vision, sensitivity to light, Eye swelling is the most obvious symptom of bloodshot eye. It is possible for several of these symptoms to appear in the eye at the same time.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF BLOODSHOT EYES?

The factors that cause bloodshot eyes can be caused by the following problems:

• Insomnia
• Coughing with high pressure
• Coughing for too long
• Dry eye
• Allergic reactions
• Inflammation in the eye
• Shallot
• Eyelash inflammation
• Scratching the eye too hard
• Wearing the contact lens incorrectly
• Blood Pressure
• Vomiting
• Heavy load lifting
• Traumas, injuries or blows to the eye
• Blood clotting problems
• Eye cancer
• Use of blood thinners
• Aneurysm
• Diabetes
• Retinal tear
• Fluid accumulation behind the eye

Sometimes, excessive alcohol and cigarette consumption can cause bloodshot eyes. In this case, the patient’s smoking and alcohol history can be examined under the supervision of a doctor and these harmful habits can be targeted to be eliminated.

HOW DOES BLOODSHOT EYES RECOVER?
The treatment of bloodshot eye varies according to the disease causing the bloodshot. Bleeding from the eye, which usually resolves spontaneously in 1-2 weeks, may be prolonged in some cases. However, different causes may also lie under the bloodshot eye. In such cases, a specialized doctor should make the diagnosis. If bloodshot eyes are caused by high blood pressure, high blood pressure should be treated. The treatment for more serious eye diseases is different. Eye drops are usually recommended for the treatment of bloodshot eyes. After the doctor’s examination, steroid eye drops are given for swelling, antibiotic drops for bacterial infections, eye drops containing painkillers for pain relief, and antiviral eye drops for viral infections. If there are serious injuries to the vessels in the eye that cause blood supply, laser surgery can be used for treatment. In all treatment methods, patients may need to wear an eye patch for a while to protect their eyes.

September 2023

Eye Diseases Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil Hüseyin Çağatay said that double vision when looking away may be a harbinger of a serious health problem, medical help may be needed, so it should not be neglected.

Eye Diseases Specialist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil Hüseyin Çağatay gave important information about double vision when looking away, scientifically known as ‘diplopia’. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Halil Hüseyin Çağatay emphasized that double vision, which can be experienced by many people and is usually a temporary condition, may be a symptom of a serious health problem, may require medical assistance, so it should not be neglected.

THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF IT IS EYE SLIPPAGE AND STRABISMUS
Stating that the most common cause of double vision is slippage and strabismus in the eye, Dr. Çağatay said, “Double vision increases over the years in cases where the inward shift increases when looking away. Our patients most frequently state that the lanes on the roads are intertwined. Double vision can also occur temporarily as a side effect due to trauma and some medications. For example; in recent years, patients have been presenting with temporary double vision problems after Botox applications. The double vision here typically occurs in side gaze. Other important and common causes of double vision are diseases of the brain and cerebral vessels. The most important thing to remember is that all newly emerging double vision problems require urgent medical examination and research without neglect.  Some problems that cause double vision may also be due to neurological causes. Diseases such as stroke, brain tumor, aneurysm in the brain vessels, multiple sclerosis can cause double vision problems when looking away.”

A DETAILED EYE EXAMINATION IS IMPORTANT IN THIS PROBLEM
People who have double vision problems when looking far away should urgently consult an ophthalmologist. With a detailed eye examination, the strabismus problem, if any, is detected by measuring the slip angles in far, near and side gaze; the diagnosis of strabismus can also be confirmed with binocular vision tests, which we call binocular vision tests. If no problem is detected, the underlying cause can be investigated with more detailed neurological examinations. Double vision is usually treatable; however, the treatment method depends on the source of the problem. It is very important to solve the underlying problem, if any. In addition, double vision can be eliminated with prismatic glasses that control double vision, neurotoxin applications and surgical interventions on the eye muscles. In conclusion, if you experience double vision when looking away, you should not ignore this condition and seek help from a health professional. This will help protect both your comfort of life and your overall health.

August 2023

Eye allergy and eye infection are conditions with similar symptoms. Although they have similar symptoms, it is possible to recognize which one it is and to distinguish between an infection and an allergy with a microscopic examination by an ophthalmologist.

The most common symptoms of an eye infection are redness, burning, itching, watering, tenderness and crusting or discharge around the eyelids. Conjunctivitis can be caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, allergens and other irritants. Because it is contagious, conjunctivitis caused by viruses and bacteria in particular can spread to other people. Eye allergy, or allergic conjunctivitis as it is medically called, is a fairly common disease that, unlike other conjunctivitis, does not spread from person to person. The most important symptoms are redness, itching and watery eyes. If there is no itching, allergy should not be considered. As in other allergic diseases, genetic characteristics and environmental interaction play a role in eye allergy. It is often seen together with other allergic conditions in the body. It is more common in children and adolescence. The incidence gradually decreases at older ages.

Microscopic Examination Required
Experts say that the most common potential allergens that cause eye allergies are pollen, animal dander, chemical odors, house dust and mold. If conjunctivitis is caused by pollen, it is usually seasonal. If the allergic cause is animal dander, mold and dust, it can sometimes cause an allergic crisis. Some people may also develop allergic conjunctivitis to certain eye drops or contact lens solutions. Since allergic conjunctivitis shares similar symptoms with other eye diseases, it is important to make the correct diagnosis. For example, eye allergy and eye infection are different conditions with similar symptoms but different medical causes. A microscopic examination by an ophthalmologist is necessary to identify the disease and to differentiate between infection and allergy. The examination reveals redness of the eye as well as swelling inside the eyelid caused by allergic conjunctivitis. The basic principle of treatment is to avoid the cause of the allergy.

August 2023