Eye health tips: The role of glasses, lenses, and screen time
Approximately 23% of Moldova's population has vision difficulties, according to data from the latest population census conducted in 2024.
Regular visits to an ophthalmologist, reducing screen time, and wearing glasses are among the top recommendations from specialists for maintaining eye health.
Myopia is the most common eye condition, and currently, an increasing number of children are being diagnosed with this vision disorder.
Specialists recommend that visits to an ophthalmologist be made once every two years, and for children under seven or individuals with certain conditions, they should be made once a year.
Additionally, to prevent certain eye conditions, ophthalmologists advise reducing screen exposure time: for children under two, screen time should be avoided; for children aged three to four, screen time should be limited to one hour.
Glasses or contact lenses?
The choice of whether to wear glasses or contact lenses, once a diagnosis is established, is a personal one, but the decision should be made after consulting with a doctor.
Cristina Guzun, an ophthalmologist, stated on the "Zi de zi" (Day by Day) show on Radio Moldova that parents most often choose glasses for their children because contact lenses require more responsibility.
"You need to follow strict hygiene rules; when you put on the lens, you must wash your hands thoroughly, make sure the container is clean, and change the solution every time," the doctor explained.
According to the specialist, wearing contact lenses is contraindicated for people with severe dry eye syndrome. They are recommended for individuals who play sports or when there is a significant difference in diopters between the two eyes, for example, one has +5 and the other has -2.
"It's much more comfortable to wear contact lenses for those who play different types of sports. If there is a mild dry eye syndrome, we use artificial tears and turn to contact lenses," the ophthalmologist said on Radio Moldova.
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Cristina Guzun also said that, unlike glasses, contact lenses offer a better visual field and stereoscopic vision. Patients, especially those with myopia, feel better wearing lenses.
Contact lenses are of two types: day and night. Night lenses have a more rigid structure and are prescribed for people at risk of myopia progression.
Specialists estimate that in about 20 years, half of the world's population will be myopic.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
