Frequently Asked Questions
When should a newborn baby’s eye examination be carried out?
There is no rule that a newborn baby’s eyes are perfectly healthy from birth. The need for glasses, strabismus, cataract, glaucoma, eyelid abnormalities, tear-duct obstruction, eye tumours and any other ocular condition can occur in newborns. For this reason, every newborn should have a routine eye examination within the first 6 months.
I work on a computer all the time. Will my eyes be damaged?
Looking at a computer screen does not actually cause a refractive error — in other words, it does not “damage” the eye in the popular sense. In people with refractive errors, working long hours on a computer can cause fatigue, eye strain and headaches. Wearing suitable glasses will relieve these problems. When we look attentively at a screen, our blink rate decreases, which causes the surface of the eye to dry. In conditions of low ambient humidity, such as air-conditioned office environments, the rate of evaporation of tears increases; to prevent the surface of the eye from drying out, we should increase the number of times we blink and work with regular breaks.
The top of the computer screen should not be above your eye level. This way, your eye will be in a slightly downward-gazing position during work, and your lid opening will be a little narrower, reducing the surface area of the eye over which tears can evaporate.
I have diabetes — will I have eye problems?
Diabetes affects the blood vessels and can lead to bleeding in the retinal (nerve) layer of the eye. The more careful diabetic patients are about their metabolic control (keeping the fasting blood glucose below approximately 120 mg/dL, controlling hypertension, keeping total lipids and cholesterol within normal limits), the more they delay damage to the vessels. Diabetic patients should have a detailed eye examination once a year. If bleeding has already begun in the retinal layer, these check-ups should be carried out more frequently.
My son’s prescription is constantly increasing. What precautions can I take?
Myopia (the inability to see distance) most often begins in the primary-school years and progresses in parallel with body growth throughout adolescence. It is worth having children who struggle to see the blackboard in class, or who are unsuccessful in their lessons, examined.
Do contact lenses have advantages over glasses?
- They show objects in their true size.
- They provide a better and wider field of view.
- They do not steam up.
- They allow sports and activities to be carried out comfortably, without restriction.
How is cataract diagnosed?
Blurred vision, faded colours and sudden changes in the eye prescription are the most prominent signs of cataract.
I want to get rid of glasses — can I have surgery?
- Anyone aged 18 or over,
- whose prescription has not changed in the last year,
- who has refractive errors such as myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism,
- who has no medical problem in the eye (glaucoma, cataract, uveitis, retinopathy, etc.),
and who wants to be free of glasses and contact lenses is a candidate for this treatment.
How is amblyopia diagnosed?
Our eyes are one of our most valuable organs. We must value our eye health and not neglect our check-ups. Even if the eyes appear normal, the first examination should be carried out at the age of 1. Examinations are then repeated at the age of 5 and when starting school. Amblyopia, which usually develops in one eye, gives no sign and cannot be detected unless examined. The first 5 years are very important in the treatment of amblyopia.
My child has a deviation of the eye — what should I do?
Occasional eye deviation in babies during the first 3 months is normal. Any deviation after this period must be evaluated by an ophthalmologist. In babies, signs such as a white spot in the pupil, redness and deviation may be signs of intraocular tumours. With early diagnosis, treatment is possible.
My one-month-old baby has eye discharge — what could be the cause?
Discharge present from birth must always be evaluated by an ophthalmologist, as it may be due to infections that can threaten the eye. Watering present from birth may be due to a tear-duct obstruction. In 90% of cases this resolves with appropriate massage; if it does not resolve by the age of 1 despite massage, it can be addressed with probing. In patients in whom it does not resolve despite probing, surgery may be required.
My father has been told he has raised eye pressure — can you give me some information?
Glaucoma is an insidious disease in which, due to raised intraocular pressure, the optic nerve gradually weakens and visual-field loss occurs, ending in blindness if untreated. This condition, which gives no signs in its early period, is detected through a detailed eye examination. People over the age of 40 are advised to undergo a detailed eye examination once a year.
My eye has been twitching for 15 days. What could be the cause?
Fatigue, lack of sleep, stress and caffeine can cause twitching. Computer use and bright lights can act as triggers. It can help our patients to pay attention to their sleep and rest hours, to stay away from a stressful life, to reduce computer use, to use soft and non-glaring lighting at home, and to cut out coffee.
For the past week I have had black floaters and flashes of light in front of my eye. Could it be important?
Sudden black spots, floaters and flashes of light may be a warning sign of tears in the retinal layer. An ophthalmologist must be consulted without delay. If tears are detected at an early stage, they can be treated by surrounding the area with a laser to prevent retinal detachment (separation of the nerve layer), avoiding the need for surgery.
What Is Night Blindness?
Known in everyday language as “tavuk karası” (chicken blindness), night blindness is an eye problem caused by vitamin A deficiency. This condition, which results from the nerves going to the brain not functioning fully, can also be inherited and is progressive in nature. It is a frequently encountered condition in our country due to the high prevalence of consanguineous marriages.
What Is Corneal Transplantation (Keratoplasty)?
Known in everyday language as “eye transplantation”. The cornea is the transparent layer of the eye located at the very front, with a major role in visual function. The procedure of replacing a damaged cornea (the transparent layer) with a healthy one is called “CORNEAL TRANSPLANT” or, in medical terminology, “CORNEAL TRANSPLANTATION” or “KERATOPLASTY”.
What Is a Stye?
Known in everyday language as a stye or “it dirseği” (literally “dog’s elbow”), hordeolum is a staphylococcal infection of the glands in the eyelid. If the infection is located in the Meibomian glands, it is called an “internal stye”; if in the glands of Zeiss or Moll, it is called an “external stye”. An internal stye is deeper in the eyelid, while an external stye presents as an abscess closer to the skin.
In both cases, complaints begin with itching, redness and swelling, and can progress to abscess formation over time. The entire eyelid may even swell. If the patient has blepharitis, multiple swellings may form. Rarely, the abscess drains spontaneously from a point near the lash margin and heals on its own. In treatment, applying warm compresses to the affected eye in the early days may be sufficient; topical antibiotic ointments and, in advanced cases, systemic antibiotic use may be required. Sometimes, after the acute infection has resolved, a nodule may remain at the site; in such cases the cystic structure needs to be surgically drained.
You can contact our hospital for any matter regarding eye health, obtain detailed information about your eye problems and learn about the treatment process.
Prepared by the Editorial Board of the Eye Foundation Hospitals.
