Seven out of ten Spaniards consider that sight makes them enjoy life more, according to a survey of a thousand people carried out for the third consecutive year by Miranza, a leading group in ophthalmology, with more than 30 centers in Spain, among which Find IMO Grupo Miranza. This is the III Ocular Wellbeing Barometer, promoted by the Group of ophthalmological clinics, within the framework of World Vision Day, which is celebrated today, October 12. According to the consultation, we Spaniards achieved only a fair pass when it comes to our eye condition, with a 5.22 out of 10, practically the same as last year. Although the majority of respondents, 75%, perceive their eye health as “reasonable,” the percentage drops to 33% if we only consider those who think it is “good or excellent.”
People who admit to suffering from stress or anxiety (half of those surveyed) are also one of the groups that rate their ocular condition the worst. Faced with this, Dr. Carlos Martín (ophthalmologist at IMO Grupo Miranza) explains that “currently, we are suffering the consequences of two epidemics that impact ocular health and well-being and one of them is anxiety and stress, which, In addition to directly causing some pathology such as central serous chorioretinopathy, which affects the retina, they carry a greater risk of suffering from diabetes, sleep problems, eating disorders and migraines, which affects vision and worsens processes such as dry eye. ... It is a vicious circle".
The second major epidemic that threatens the ocular health and well-being of Spaniards is screen abuse, which increases childhood myopia, accommodative spasms, especially among people with presbyopia or eyestrain, and dry eye, especially in women with menopause. According to the specialist, “it is estimated that, in the year 2050, 50% of the population will be myopic, something that should worry us since this refractive defect, beyond being a graduation problem, carries a greater risk of suffering from retinal diseases. and glaucoma.” The ophthalmologist advises taking visual breaks by looking into the distance and increasing outdoor activity, in addition to considering treatment with atropine eye drops to stop myopia, always under the supervision of a specialist, especially in children.
Furthermore, Dr. Martín adds that “the relationship between dry eye and screens responds, mainly, to the reduction of blinking when looking at the screen, since the eyelids function like the windshield of a car and ocular exposure alters the tear film and the ocular surface. The doctor advises obtaining an accurate diagnosis, since "it is a multifactorial disease, which requires a personalized approach, for which, beyond the use of artificial tears, we currently have applied technology, such as pulsed light, and with which we manage to very effectively control the symptoms of this growing ocular syndrome.”
Another result of the study shows how 82% of respondents between 41 and 64 years old affirm that they are concerned about their eyesight and are the most aware of the need to take care of it (93%). Despite this, and although in general, 8 out of 10 people believe that you should have your eyes checked annually, when it comes down to it, the average number of check-ups does not reach one per year. In this sense, the IMO Miranza Group expert confirms that “40 is the “age of fright”, in which the first vision problems begin for many people, with the appearance of presbyopia or eyestrain, something that occurs, Furthermore, in a time of life that is fully active and very demanding both in the work, family and social spheres.”
Another group that is more pessimistic than the rest regarding their eye health is that of those who wear glasses or contact lenses, a group that also feels discomfort associated with the use of optical correction, especially contact lenses. Along these lines, Dr. Martín warns that, “it is important to take extreme precautions with contact lenses and rationalize their use, as well as keep in mind that, in adulthood, alternatives such as refractive surgery, with a lower risk of infection". The III Miranza Barometer also reflects that more than half of Spaniards of any age group consider that it is not possible to avoid vision loss (only four out of ten consider that it is).
According to experts, this belief may respond to the poor connection that the population establishes between their lifestyle, their eye health and their ophthalmological check-up schedule, as well as the little knowledge of the great advances that we currently have to solve the problems. eye problems, with minimally invasive surgeries for refractive surgery, cataract and presbyopia with premium lenses, lamellar corneal transplants, devices for glaucoma, advances for AMD with injections of new medications and technology applied to dry eye treatments, among others.
