Weak visual acuity in children may occur due to insufficient use of the eye during the critical period of visual development. This results in incomplete normal visual maturation and is known as functional amblyopia (lazy eye). It usually affects one eye. According to statistics from the World Health Organization, more than 4% of the total population are affected by amblyopia.
Currently, similar visual weakness is increasingly observed in adults due to improper use of smart devices, particularly among young people. This emerging phenomenon is associated with prolonged visual concentration for more than three continuous hours, especially at night. Therefore, attention should be paid to acceptable and safe practices for eye protection when using smart devices, in accordance with international recommendations.
The required conditions for maintaining eye health—after performing therapeutic exercises tailored to each patient’s refractive status (according to the prescribed correction)—include adherence to the following key guidelines:
Do not discontinue therapeutic exercises, and avoid occluding (closing) the healthy eye for prolonged periods. Exercises should be performed intermittently for about one to one and a half hours as instructed, regardless of circumstances, during and after completing the prescribed treatment course.
Focus the eye on a specific target during exercises to maintain ocular alignment, according to each individual case as determined by the specialist.
Use the correct posture while reading by keeping the book or computer screen at eye level to prevent upper eyelid drooping and ocular axis deviation. Additionally, every 10 minutes, shift gaze to the farthest point in the room to reduce visual strain.
Enlarge text size during device use to avoid excessive visual stress.
Use anti-reflective coated glasses (M.C coating) to minimize the potential effects of electromagnetic radiation on the eyes and face. It is also preferable to use headphones for voice communications.
The final section will be supplemented with illustrative images for each case.
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