Hellenic Ophthalmological Society warns of dangerous eye health practices

The Hellenic Ophthalmological Society (EOE) has issued a warning to citizens regarding dangerous, unscientific eye health practices and pseudo-diagnoses. The medical association highlights that these methods can lead to incorrect diagnoses, delayed treatment of serious conditions, or permanent vision damage.

Specific practices flagged by experts include iridology, which claims to identify diseases in other organs by examining the iris; eye exercises marketed as cures for myopia, presbyopia, or astigmatism; and unverified regenerative therapies or internet-based remedies. The EOE notes that scientific studies have repeatedly shown iridology lacks diagnostic accuracy beyond chance, posing risks of both unnecessary treatments due to false diagnoses and dangerous complacency due to false reassurance.

Furthermore, the society clarifies that refractive errors are linked to anatomical and optical characteristics of the eye and cannot be corrected through eye exercises, with the exception of specific orthoptic exercises for binocular vision disorders performed under medical supervision.