Thumbay University Hospital event raises awareness on eye health

Thumbay University Hospital event raises awareness on eye health

In an attempt to shed light on the increasing vision issues faced by the UAE population, Thumbay University Hospital, Ajman, conducted a virtual event highlighting common eye problems. Organised as part of Thumbay Group's 'Online Summer Healthcare Festival', the session also guided the attendees on how to identify and tackle the various issues and provided tips on healthy habits for good eye health. Thumbay University Hospital confirmed that 50% of patients visiting their OPD presented symptoms of myopia (nearsightedness) which can be attributed to the increase in screen time. As almost 1.1 million students have been studying from home, screen usage is at an all-time high. Individuals are spending a whopping 12-17 hours in front of their screens on a daily basis, which is a direct contributor to poor eye health. Over two-thirds of the UAE population suffers dry-eye which is far higher than the global average. Talking about the increasingly common occurrence of dry-eye, Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Wassfi, Consultant Ophthalmology at Thumbay University Hospital, recommended device-free break time, use of anti-glare glasses, taking small breaks from the screen, and preservative-free eye lubricants. Giving interesting insights regarding how uncorrected eye problems can lead to issues in the other parts of