Medicina

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Ophthalmology, Environment, and Lifestyle: New Pathways in Diagnosis and Treatment

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jesús Merayo-Lloves

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Instituto Universitario Fernández-Vega, University of Oviedo, 33012 Oviedo, Spain
Interests: ocular surface; ocular inflammation; allergy; dry eye; refractive surgery; uveitis; ocular regenerative medicine; ocular pharmacology; ocular immunology; ophthalmology education

Dr. Rodrigo Martin Torres

E-Mail
Guest Editor Assistant

Colonia Avellaneda (Entre Ríos) Argentina Consejo Argentino de Oftalmología, Research and Developments, Buenos Aires city, Argentina
Interests: visual sciences; ophthalmology; medical devices; ocular surface, ocular immunology; ocular pharmacology; translational research; methodology; evidence-based medicine; epidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Scientific evidence is continuing to emerge highlighting the impact of the environment and lifestyle on overall health, including the visual system. For example, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, natural light was recognized as a key factor in myopia progression, while excessive screen use was linked to dry eye. Diet and nutrition remain a topic of debate, with challenges in separating science from myth. Meanwhile, technological advancements such as artificial intelligence are transforming diagnostics and treatment.

From early life stages to aging populations, environmental and lifestyle factors shape ocular health, influencing risks for preventable blindness. These factors can act as protective or risk elements for various visual conditions.

We invite the scientific community to contribute original research, narrative reviews, and systematic reviews focusing on epidemiology, diagnostics, and treatment and exploring the environment–lifestyle–vision nexus. Clinical cases offering unique insights into this relationship are also welcome as we expand our understanding of how to protect and optimize visual health.

Prof. Dr. Jesús Merayo-Lloves
Guest Editor

Dr. Rodrigo Martin Torres
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Medicina is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.

Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.

Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.

External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.

Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

17 pages, 3119 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Physical Activity on Anterior Segment Structures and the Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer: A Comparison of Elite Athletes and Sedentary Individuals

by Çiğdem Deniz Genç, Esra Korkmaz Salkılıç, Berna Anıl, Enes Akdemir, Coşkun Yılmaz and Ali Kerim Yılmaz

Medicina 2025, 61(9), 1623; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61091623 - 8 Sep 2025

Abstract

Background and Objectives: The study aims to evaluate the effects of regular physical activity on ocular structures by comparing eye anterior segment structures and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) parameters between elite individual athletes and sedentary persons. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 75 participants (33 female and 42 male) aged 18–32 years. Participants consisted of 33 elite individual athletes (66 eyes) aged 18–32 years and 42 sedentary individuals (84 eyes) aged 18–28 years. The elite athlete group consisted of participants who had trained ≥ 3 times per week for the past 5 years and had competition experience in tennis (n = 11), badminton (n = 8), and short/middle distance running (n = 14). Sedentary participants had not engaged in regular physical activity for the last 2 years. Anterior segment structures were measured with ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM), RNFL parameters were measured with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), and intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured with a non-contact pneumotonometer. Results: When the anterior segment parameters were compared, a significance was found in the group effect (p = 0.021,

ƞ_{p}^{2}

= 0.036) in the TIA500 value, but the effects of side and gender were insignificant (p > 0.05). While the gender effect was found to be significant for the AOD500 (p = 0.030,

ƞ_{p}^{2}

= 0.032) and ARA500 (p = 0.019,

ƞ_{p}^{2}

= 0.038) variables, the group and side effects were statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). There was a significant difference in IOP values between sedentary individuals (15.82 ± 2.69) and athletes (14.61 ± 1.80) (p = 0.004,

ƞ_{p}^{2}

= 0.057). There was a significant difference between the right (15.71 ± 2.70) and left (14.87 ± 2.02) sides (p = 0.027,

ƞ_{p}^{2}

= 0.033). The effect of gender was not significant (p > 0.05). When the results were evaluated, a significant effect of the TEMPORAL side in RNFL parameters (p = 0.003,

ƞ_{p}^{2}

= 0.058) was observed. Correlations were seen between the anterior segment and RNFL parameters in both groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Athletes exhibited lower IOP compared with sedentary individuals, with similar RNFL parameters but distinct correlation patterns with anterior segment structures. These findings suggest that ocular parameters should be evaluated in an integrated manner and that physical activity may support ocular health by contributing to IOP reduction and potentially slowing the progression of eye diseases. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ophthalmology, Environment, and Lifestyle: New Pathways in Diagnosis and Treatment)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Ophthalmology, Environment, and Lifestyle: New Pathways in Diagnosis and Treatment

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

Published Papers (1 paper)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI