Dr Anelia Apostolova is an ophthalmologist with over 25 years’ experience in the field. She specialises in consultations, diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. Her extensive knowledge and dedication to improving eye health are evident through her contributions as an author of numerous articles in this field.
Dr Apostolova completed her medical education at the Medical University of Sofia in 1995, and later specialised in ophthalmology in 2006. During her career, she has gained additional qualifications through various courses focusing on emergency ophthalmology, paediatric vision, inflammatory eye diseases, and diabetes and the eye.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr Apostolova is actively involved in clinical research, particularly in the field of glaucoma, and has presented her findings at national and international conferences, including in Berlin, Paris, Milan, Copenhagen and Helsinki. Today, we will draw on her extensive experience in this field to offer practical advice on improving vision.
What are the most common complaints from your patients?
As an ophthalmologist, I often encounter a wide range of problems from my patients. Among the most common complaints are those related to dry eyes, which are often exacerbated by factors such as dry air or prolonged screen time. Redness of the eyes is another common problem that can arise from various allergies, infections such as conjunctivitis, or even more serious conditions like glaucoma.
Myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism affect a significant proportion of the population, causing blurred vision and difficulty focusing. These conditions often require corrective measures such as spectacles, contact lenses or even surgical intervention.
Cataracts are a common age-related condition. They cause the eye’s natural lens to become cloudy, leading to reduced vision and increased sensitivity to glare.
How can we slow the progression of vision-related problems and diseases?
Step number one is regular eye examinations. They are even more important if you have specific eye diseases.
Taking steps to protect your eyesight is very important. An important part of this care is giving your eyes regular breaks to prevent them from drying out and to reduce strain. Often in our daily lives, especially when we are working, we have to look at something for long periods. To reduce eye strain, it is recommended to take a break every 20 minutes. During this break, look at something in the distance, through a window if possible, for at least 20 seconds, trying to blink more often than usual to better lubricate your eyes.
The next step you can take to improve your vision is to do eye exercises. These involve a series of techniques designed to strengthen the eye muscles, improve coordination and alleviate symptoms of eye strain or fatigue.
Eye exercises usually involve looking in different directions or intentionally changing the focus of your eyes. For example, after you wake up, you can look around using only your eyes, or make circular movements with your eyes clockwise and anti-clockwise. You can do a focus-shifting exercise by choosing two objects at different distances and shifting your focus between them at least five times, first on one, then on the other.
Maintaining good vision and caring for eye diseases also depend on the adequate availability of certain important nutrients, vitamins and minerals. A balanced diet rich in fruit, vegetables and omega-3 fatty acids is important for supporting eye health. Additionally, I often recommend Neovista Next to my patients. This supplement contains key, proven ingredients for maintaining the structure of the eyes and powerful antioxidants that protect the eyes from harmful external factors.
More and more people are spending their daily lives and working hours in front of screens – how can we protect our eyes from the harmful effects of screen time?
Protecting our eyes from the negative effects of frequent screen use is important for their overall health. As already mentioned, regular breaks are crucial for reducing eye strain and allowing them to refocus. Optimising screen settings is another important aspect. Adjusting the brightness, contrast, and font size to comfortable levels can minimise glare and strain. Consider using a matte screen filter for an additional reduction in reflections and glare, especially in well-lit rooms.
Pay attention to the proper lighting of your workspace – the light from the screen should not differ from the ambient light, and the screen should not be placed in front of strong light sources. For people who spend a lot of time in front of screens, computer glasses with an anti-reflective coating can provide additional protection by reducing glare and filtering blue light. Also, consider using blue-light filters or glasses with lenses that block it.
It is important to note that there are certain substances that effectively help protect the eyes from prolonged exposure to blue light from screens. These include lutein and zeaxanthin, which are part of the specialised composition of Neovista Next. These two substances are specific pigments that accumulate in the retina. Both lutein and zeaxanthin absorb blue light and protect the photoreceptors in the eyes. Furthermore, these two pigments protect the eyes from oxidative stress.
What other advice and recommendations would you give to protect our eyes?
Staying hydrated is also important for overall eye health. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay hydrated and prevent dry eyes. Don’t forget to blink regularly. Blinking helps to moisten your eyes and prevents dryness, which is common when you spend a long time in front of a screen.
Once again, I want to emphasise the importance of consuming nutrients that can protect your eyes. The Neovista Next supplement provides important minerals for eye health, such as zinc and selenium. Zinc is key to the metabolism of vitamin A, which we all associate with eye health. Additionally, the supplement contains vitamin C, which is important for retinal function. It has protective properties against diseases such as cataracts and protects the lens from harmful UV rays.
Regular intake of Neovista Next can help improve the condition of your eyes, both in cases of mild complaints, such as dryness and redness, and in slowing the progression of more serious diseases. Therefore, I recommend it to patients with various eye-related complaints and problems.
