分类： health

Medical specialists in the UAE are raising urgent concerns about the profound psychological and developmental consequences of undiagnosed vision impairments in children. According to ophthalmologists and psychologists, common conditions like myopia, astigmatism, and strabismus extend far beyond visual limitations, significantly impacting emotional well-being, social development, and academic performance.

Dr. Alina Mugnani Deza, Specialist Ophthalmologist at Barraquer Eye Hospital, emphasizes that early childhood represents the most vulnerable period for visual development. Limited visual cues during infancy (0-2 years) can affect bonding, motor skills, and exploration, while preschool years (3-6) bring increased awareness of differences with peers. The early school age (6-12) often introduces academic frustrations and social anxiety.

The psychological ramifications are extensive, with children frequently developing anxiety, social withdrawal, irritability, and communication delays. Dr. Deza notes that visual impairment significantly increases emotional and behavioral difficulties because vision drives exploration, communication, and social learning. These challenges often lead to misinterpretations as behavioral or learning problems rather than vision-related issues.

Clinical Psychologist Gayatri Govind Gajjam of Aster DYU Child Development Centre explains how different vision conditions create distinct psychological responses. Children with low vision often experience frustration and decreased academic confidence, while complete blindness can delay mobility and communication skills. Peripheral vision loss increases anxiety due to collision fears, and central vision loss affects literacy tasks, making children perceive themselves as slow. Progressive visual loss proves particularly taxing as children experience repeated grief with each decline.

Experts identify family support as a critical protective factor. A balanced home environment that encourages independence while providing emotional reassurance can significantly reduce psychological risks. Conversely, parental overprotection, denial of problems, or delayed corrective measures often intensify stress.

Early detection through screening from age 2.5 allows problems to be identified before impacting development. Multidisciplinary approaches including vision rehabilitation, occupational therapy, psychological counseling, and assistive technologies such as screen magnifiers, smart devices, and text-to-speech tools can dramatically improve outcomes. Schools play an equally crucial role by providing accessible materials, teacher training, and counseling support.

Despite these challenges, well-supported children often develop remarkable resilience, advanced problem-solving skills, and heightened auditory and tactile abilities. With early detection, supportive environments, and appropriate tools, children with visual impairments can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Aster DM Healthcare has secured exceptional recognition in Newsweek’s prestigious Best Specialized Hospitals Middle East 2026 rankings, with nine facilities across the GCC region earning distinguished placements. The comprehensive evaluation, conducted in partnership with global data firm Statista, identifies leading healthcare institutions across seven Middle Eastern countries based on rigorous criteria including international peer recommendations, accreditation standards, and implementation of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs).

The UAE network demonstrated remarkable clinical excellence with six facilities receiving specialized accolades. Aster Hospital Al Qusais gained recognition for neurological care, while Aster Hospital Mankhool achieved dual PROMs-based distinctions in orthopedics. Medcare Hospital Al Safa earned gastroenterology honors, Medcare Hospital Sharjah secured neurology recognition, and specialized facilities Medcare Orthopedics and Spine Hospital along with Medcare Women and Children Hospital received orthopedics and pediatrics distinctions respectively.

Beyond the UAE, Aster’s regional presence shone with Aster Royal Al Raffah Hospital in Muscat achieving the broadest specialty recognition in Oman across five disciplines: gastroenterology, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, and pediatrics. Aster Al Raffah Hospital in Sohar received gastroenterology recognition, while Aster Hospital Qatar secured dual honors in gastroenterology and pediatrics, underscoring its expanding leadership in comprehensive family care services.

Alisha Moopen, Managing Director and Group CEO of Aster DM Healthcare GCC, emphasized that this achievement reflects the organization’s robust clinical ecosystem and medical expertise. “With nine hospitals recognized across multiple specialties throughout the GCC, we demonstrate our sustained commitment to outcome-driven specialized care,” Moopen stated. “We continue to advance our mission of making world-class medical expertise accessible to patients across the Middle East within their communities.”

The conglomerate, operating 15 hospitals throughout the GCC, maintains its commitment to healthcare excellence through expanded centers of specialization, integrated advanced diagnostics, and implementation of best-practice clinical protocols across its network. This widespread recognition across five specialized disciplines confirms Aster’s enduring dedication to delivering complex treatments with superior outcomes and enhanced patient experiences throughout the region.

In an extraordinary medical achievement, a two-month-old Pakistani infant has successfully overcome a life-threatening congenital immune disorder following an emergency bone marrow transplant procedure in Abu Dhabi. The breakthrough case at Yas Clinic Khalifa City represents a significant advancement in pediatric critical care methodologies.

The infant, identified as Ayra, arrived at the facility in critical condition after weeks of unsuccessful treatment at another hospital. Medical examinations revealed she was combating three simultaneous severe infections while showing signs of organ stress and requiring medication to sustain blood pressure. This medical crisis stemmed from a rare congenital immunodeficiency that left her without natural infection-fighting capabilities.

Dr. Mansi Sachdev, Clinical Lead and Consultant of Paediatric Haematology, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, explained the unprecedented challenges: ‘The conventional treatment protocol involving chemotherapy was not viable due to her critically compromised condition. Our only recourse was to perform an immediate transplant without standard preparatory procedures, relying entirely on her father’s healthy stem cells to combat the infections.’

The medical team discovered the infant’s father was a complete HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen) match, enabling the high-risk procedure. This surgical intervention is considered exceptionally rare in pediatric medicine due to its inherent risks when performed without standard chemotherapy preparation.

Two months post-transplant, medical staff report remarkable progress. Ayra is now breathing independently, feeding normally, and has successfully cleared all three viral infections. The medical team anticipates her imminent discharge from the facility.

Dr. Maysoon Al Karam, Chief Medical Officer, emphasized the broader implications: ‘This case demonstrates the critical importance of early diagnosis and coordinated multidisciplinary care. The successful outcome illustrates what timely intervention and specialized medical management can achieve even with extremely fragile patients.’

The family’s medical history revealed they had previously lost another daughter to a similar undiagnosed condition at eighteen months old, highlighting the significance of this medical breakthrough for families dealing with rare immunological disorders.

The United Arab Emirates has become the inaugural market for Apple Watch’s revolutionary hypertension detection capability, introducing a transformative approach to cardiovascular health monitoring. This groundbreaking feature, activated on December 3rd, 2025, enables users to identify potential chronic high blood pressure through their wearable device instead of traditional blood pressure cuffs.

Hypertension represents the predominant risk factor for catastrophic health events including heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease, affecting an estimated 1.3 billion adults worldwide. The condition frequently remains undiagnosed due to its asymptomatic nature and infrequent medical consultations.

Apple’s development team employed sophisticated machine learning algorithms trained on comprehensive data from multiple research studies involving more than 100,000 participants. The technology underwent rigorous clinical validation through trials with over 2,000 subjects, ensuring scientific credibility.

The detection mechanism operates through the watch’s optical heart sensor, which analyzes vascular responses to cardiac activity. The algorithm continuously processes data in 30-day cycles, providing notifications when consistent hypertension patterns emerge. These alerts empower users to pursue lifestyle modifications or medical interventions that could potentially prevent severe health complications.

While the technology isn’t infallible, projections indicate it could identify over one million previously undiagnosed hypertension cases within its first year of implementation. Users receiving notifications are advised to conduct seven days of traditional blood pressure monitoring using certified equipment and consult healthcare professionals for comprehensive assessment.