Most of the kids you see today have their own iPad or smartphone and without their electronics, these kids seem lost, showing no interest in everyday life implying how dependent they are on their devices. With most of education becoming digitized, it is very easy for kids to spend most of their day looking at the screen.

A new study published in JAMA publication, brought up a concerning factor which shows that even if your child is spending a few hours on the screen, they could end up with a lifetime of glasses. This means looking at screens up close is hurting their eyes. Parents need to watch how much time their kids spend on these devices. Because screens are used for school and fun, it's hard to avoid them. But this study shows that even a little screen time can cause problems.

What Is Causing This Sudden Increase?

More kids are getting nearsighted now, because they spend most of their time looking at screens like phones and laptops. They don't play outside as much. Looking at screens all the time strains their eyes. When kids play outside, they get to look at things far away. Considering even sunlight is also good for their eyes, not playing outside and only looking at screens is making more and more kids nearsighted.

The researchers looked at 45 different studies. These studies included over 335,000 kids and young adults. This way, they could see if screen time really caused nearsightedness. By looking at many studies, they made sure their findings were accurate. They looked at kids of different ages to see how screen time affects their eyes at different stages of life.

The biggest risk of nearsightedness occured when kids used screens for one to four hours a day. After that, the risk increased more slowly. This means the first few hours are the most important. Parents should focus on limiting screen time during these early hours.

The study showed that less than one hour of screen time didn't seem to cause nearsightedness. This gives parents a guideline. It means that keeping screen time under one hour a day can help protect kids' eyes. It doesn't mean there's no risk at all, but it helps.

Ways You Can Avoid Eye Troubles In This Digital Age

Here are some protective measures you can take to keep your eyes safe:

Protect Your Eyes from the Sun

Wear sunglasses to block sun damage. Sun rays can hurt your eyes. Choose glasses that block all UV light. Wraparound styles are best. Glare-reducing lenses help too.

Wear Safety Glasses

Use safety glasses at work or during sports. They protect your eyes from harm. Strong glasses prevent eye injuries. Talk to your doctor about special sports glasses.

Limit Blue Light Exposure

Too much screen time hurts your eyes. Blue light can cause strain and headaches. Take breaks often. Blink more to keep eyes moist. Adjust your screen and lighting.

Keep Your Eyes Clean

Wash your hands to stop germs. Don't share towels or makeup. Remove makeup before sleep. Clean your contacts well. Good hygiene keeps your eyes healthy.

Get Regular Eye Checkups

Everyone needs eye exams. Checkups find problems early. See an eye doctor for healthy eyes. They can help you see better and keep your eyes safe.

Lottie Ryan, Irish television and radio presenter with RTE opened up about her perimenopause experience and how she felt 'out of control' before she realized that changes in her body was going through were hormonal.

She revealed that she felt she was 'losing control', as reported by the Irish Sun. She said that she initially could not understand why she was feeling so off and blamed the symptoms on stress. However, only after she had a chat with her mother that she realized her issues could be hormonal.

After having a conversation with her mother, she booked a follow-up with a medical professional, who confirmed that her symptoms were due to perimenopause.

Also Read: What's New In Trump's Health? A Recent 'Perfect' MRI Scan And The Will To Serve A 'Third Term'

She spoke to Natural Life Magazine, and said, "At first I did not put two and two together, I just thought I was stressed, tired, maybe run down. It was not until I had a conversation with my mum about what she would gone through, then spoke to my childhood best friend, who is a women's health physio, that I started to thin, 'Hand on...this could be hormonal'."

She had recently turned 40, and recalled how her symptoms began to affect every part of her life. She said, "Before I knew what was going on, I felt like I was losing control of my mind, my memory, even my sense of self."

She further added, "One I got answers, it was like a fog lifted. I still have days where I have to manage things, but now I understand why they're happening, and that makes all the difference." She tells that what surprised her was the anxiety she started to feel. She revealed that she thought menopause was "about hot flushes and trouble sleeping". What she did not know was that it could affect your mental health. She says, "That was the biggest shock for me."

Read More: F.D.A. Approves New Non-hormonal Menopause Drug To Reduce Hot Flashes

What Is Perimenopause?

As per a 2019 study published in Journal of Clinical Obstetrics and Gynecology, perimenopause, or the menopausal transition, represents a period of time during which newly arising symptoms can present complex management decisions for providers. It is the period of time during which physiologic changes mark progression toward a woman's final menstrual period (FMP).

The phase begins with the onset of menstrual irregularities and continues until a woman reaches menopause, or one year after amenorrhea has occurred.

As Jean Miller, NP, at Franciscan Physician Network Winfield Health Center explains, "Perimenopause is the transition that occurs between a woman’s reproductive years and menopause, usually starting seven to ten years before the final period. It is important to remember that while this is a natural process, it is also one that varies for each woman, with some noticing little change and other experiencing more significant symptom."

Since the average age of menopause is 51, most women start to notice perimenopause symptoms in their 40s, which is also the case with Ryan.

Gynecologist psychiatrist Dr Nazanin Silver, writes for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists that about 4 in 10 women have mood symptoms during perimenopause, which may be similar to PMS. She notes that women may feel irritable, have low energy, feel tearful and moody, or have a hard time concentrating.

She also notes that there are multiple studies that point out the increasing risk of depression during menopausal transition. Women may feel like they are crying a lot, feel hopeless or worthless, numb or lose interest from their liked and normal activities. Anxiety too is one of the symptoms.

Also Read: Fact Check: Does Moon Really Affect Your Sleep And Mental Health? Here's What A Neurologist Says

She suggests during this phase, it is important to "see your ob-gyn regularly and discuss how you are feeling". Finding help can help you enter this phase with ease.

Heart diseases are one of the most common issues people face in the world. Despite being the leading cause of death globally, according to the world health organization, many people miss critical signs of it. The best way to ensure a person gets treatment, is that the disease must be diagnosed in its early stages. A new study suggests diagnosing the risk of heart disease early is also possible, with the help of eye scans.

Researchers at McMaster University and the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) have made an incredible discovery. They found that the tiny blood vessels in your eyes could be a powerful way to guess how likely you are to develop heart disease and how fast your body is truly aging on the inside. This is a big deal because right now, checking for these risks involves many complicated tests.

The study, which was published in the journal Science Advances, suggests that soon, doctors might be able to use a simple scan of your retina, which is the back of your eye, as a quick and non-invasive tool. This scan could show them the overall health of your blood circulation and reveal your body’s real biological age. This new method could open up amazing possibilities for catching serious health issues much earlier.

Can You Diagnose Heart Diseases From Eye Scan?

The study was massive, involving over 74,000 people from large international research groups. The scientists analyzed their retinal images, genetic makeup, and blood data.

Their key discovery was striking, people whose blood vessels in the retina were simpler and looked less branched (not as tree-like) were found to be at a higher risk for heart problems. These same people also showed clear signs of faster biological aging, meaning they had more inflammation in their bodies and a potentially shorter life expectancy.

Dr. Marie Pigeyre, one of the main researchers on the study, explains that the eye is unique. It gives doctors a special, clear, and easy way to look at your entire circulatory system—all the veins and arteries that carry blood throughout your body.

Mirroring the Body

Think of the eye's small blood vessels like a mirror. Changes happening in these vessels reflect the same changes happening in the small blood vessels everywhere else in your body. If the vessels in your eye look unhealthy, chances are, the vessels around your heart and brain are also struggling.

Molecular Clues

The team didn't just look at pictures. By combining the retinal scans with genetic information and blood test results, they were able to uncover specific "molecular pathways." These are basically the biological rules or processes that explain exactly how aging causes problems in your blood vessel system.

Can You Cure Genetic Heart Diseases?

The researchers went beyond just finding a link; they used the blood and genetic data to hunt for the root causes of these eye vessel changes. This led them to pinpoint specific proteins that appear to be the main drivers of both aging and disease.

They identified two major proteins: MMP12 and IgG–Fc receptor IIb. Both of these are strongly linked to inflammation and the deterioration of blood vessels as we age.

Dr. Pigeyre is excited because these specific proteins could become targets for new drugs. Medicines designed to control or slow down these proteins could help reduce the impact of vascular aging, lower the risk of heart disease, and ultimately help people live longer and healthier lives.

Right now, to check for serious age-related diseases like heart disease, stroke, and memory problems (dementia), doctors have to perform many different tests. The big hope is that a quick, simple retinal scan could one day become an easy-to-access tool to immediately check a person's risk for heart problems and determine their biological age.

It is not uncommon for women’s health concerns to be overlooked even by professionals. Often chalking up their health issues as, ‘common women ailments’, many healthcare professionals, miss the core reason for women’s symptoms. In a recent video, Dr Karan Rajan, an NHS Surgeon, shared a video, explaining how often, even signs of chronic illnesses can get overlooked as just ‘anxiety’.

So, is there no way a person can ensure they have the right diagnosis? In the video Dr Karan listed a few ways one can ensure they have the right diagnosis, from asking the right questions and how to proficiently communicate your symptoms to the doctor.

What Questions Should You Ask Your Doctor?

If your doctor told you that your health problems are "just anxiety," remember that you have the right to push for a more thorough checkup. One should ask the right questions as it is their health on the line. Being ready shows you're serious and ensures your doctor looks into your condition properly.

Dr. Karan explains that when talking to your doctor, you should ask questions that make them explain why they settled on an anxiety diagnosis. This shifts the focus back to the doctor, requiring them to justify their medical opinion. Here are the key questions you should use.

"What tests have been done to rule out other causes of my symptoms?"

This question is powerful because it makes the doctor list exactly what they have investigated. It clarifies the boundaries of the investigation. If the doctor hasn't run many tests, you know there's more ground to cover.

"Can you explain why you think this is anxiety and not a physical medical condition?"

Don't accept "your blood work is fine" as the only answer. That's often not enough. Many serious health conditions don't show up on a routine blood test. You want a detailed explanation of their thinking, not just a quick dismissal.

"Have we ruled out other conditions that can look exactly like anxiety?"

It's surprising how many physical illnesses have symptoms that are identical to anxiety. Dr Karan explains how thyroid problems like hypothyroidism, issues with your nervous system like dysautonomia, or even an immune disorder like mast cell activation syndrome, can all cause symptoms like a racing heart, dizziness, or panic. You want to be sure these possibilities have been considered.

Is It Anxiety Or A Health Condition?

If your doctor only suggests things like talk therapy and certain medications (like SSRIs), be prepared to ask for more. You need to know if they're looking at the big picture.

Dr Karan suggests that you should ask them: "What treatment plan would you suggest that goes beyond just treating the anxiety itself?"

If their only answer is medication and counseling, it's fair to ask what other medical routes or specialists can be explored to find the root cause of your symptoms.

How Should You Describe Your Symptoms?

When describing your symptoms, you need to be precise and give the doctor hard data. This makes it much harder for them to brush off your concerns as simple stress. Dr Karan gives an example, instead of just saying, "I get dizzy a lot," get into the details:

"I get dizzy when I stand up, especially in the morning. It's worse after eating or after I’ve been sitting for a long period of time."

This kind of specific detail is very important. Symptoms that happen when you stand up and improve when you lie down could point to a physical problem like Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), not just everyday anxiety.

The clearer and more factual you are, the less likely they are to dismiss your condition as just "generalized stress." Dr. Rajan emphasizes that "data talks." Start keeping a symptom diary right away! It's an essential tool for tracking your condition every day. In your log, record:

The exact time symptoms happened.

What you ate or drank beforehand.

What made the symptoms better or worse.

Look for patterns. Does the dizziness only happen after you stand up? Do your symptoms worsen after a certain meal, or around your sleep schedule, or with hormonal changes? Bringing this detailed log, to your appointment makes it much, much more difficult for any doctor to doubt or dismiss your concerns.