Eye care is crucial as temperature rises, say experts

CHENNAI: With a rise in temperature, eye problems are also seeing a surge in the city. Eye doctors say that it is essential to take extra care of the eyes, as increased exposure to the sun, dust, and pollution can lead to various eye conditions, which if left untreated can result in serious eye problems.

Dry eyes, conjunctivitis, UV radiation, allergic conjunctivitis, and eye injuries are common eye diseases in the summer. It is crucial to protect your eyes from the sun's harmful rays, allergies, and injuries to enjoy the season while keeping your eyes healthy.

Dr Srinivasa Rao, Regional Head of Clinical Services, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital says that dry eyes occur when your eyes do not produce enough tears to keep them moist. To prevent this, use artificial tears or lubricating eye drops to keep your eyes moist.

"We are seeing a rise in cases of conjunctivitis, also known as pink eyes, over the past two weeks. Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the thin, clear tissue that lines the inside of the eyelid and covers the white part of the eye. To prevent conjunctivitis, avoid touching your eyes with dirty hands and wash your hands frequently. UV radiation from the sun can cause several eye diseases, including cataracts, macular degeneration, and photokeratitis," he said.

Ophthalmologists say that it is important to wash the eyes frequently and use lubricating eye drops. However, one should avoid using eye drops that contain vasoconstrictors, which can worsen dry eye symptoms.

Dr Namitha, director of the Egmore Eye Hospital says that it is very common to see an increase in the incidence of Conjunctivitis but dry eyes cases are also surging. It is important to ensure that eyes are washed with water frequently so that they not only remain clean but any pollutants, can be washed off.

Very often people forget to protect their eyes and focus only on skin and other parts of the body but direct skin exposure can damage the eyes too. "It is recommended to use UV protected glasses, or a big hat that protects the eyes too. Especially for children, it should be monitored that they do not put their hands on their eyes while playing or after touching dirty surfaces. Any kind of allergies should be checked immediately," she added.