In summer – itching and dryness, in autumn – inflammation
“Dry eyes, itching caused by pollen and allergies are the most common complaints in summer. Air conditioners, sun and wind also sensitize the eyes during vacation – all of this can cause minor pain. I notice that inflammatory and bacterial infections occur less in summer, and in autumn, after returning to work and school, there is an increase in the number of people complaining of conjunctivitis or bepharitis, exacerbations of chronic inflammatory disease of the edge of the eyes, barley”, observes BENU pharmacist Loreta Tamošauskienė.
According to Dina Juškienė, an ophthalmologist at “Antėja”, hay fever causes a sudden feeling of a foreign body, lacrimation, swelling or itching of the eyelids, and in a dry, rainless summer, dry eyes can occur.
“On windy days, patients often complain of tearing, discomfort in the eyes or the feeling of a foreign body. In the fall, when we return to the collectives, viral or bacterial conjunctivitis are usually diagnosed, which may be related to common colds and runny noses,” says D. Juškienė.
ABC of eye hygiene – do not rub, do not touch, wash your hands
In order to protect your eyes and avoid unpleasant experiences, you should always follow proper hygiene – wash your hands often, do not rub or touch your eyes. According to L. Tamošauskienė, the pandemic taught us basic rules of hygiene.
“Unwashed hands are usually the cause of viral and bacterial infections, and conjunctivitis spreads directly through the hands due to poor personal hygiene – for example, when we have a runny nose, we touch our nose and then rub our eyes,” observes L. Tamošauskienė. – Women, especially those with sensitive eyes, should properly remove makeup, use clean tampons or special wipes. It is important not to use the same pad on the other eye and to remove makeup after washing your hands cleanly. Untreated and undiagnosed dry eye syndrome also causes inflammation.”
Eye hydration is important in summer and during the transitional period. According to the pharmacist, it is worth having simple artificial tears in the home medicine cabinet, which moisten and round the surface of the eye, wash away foreign bodies, pollen and bacteria.
It is important to take breaks while working
D. Juškienė emphasizes that the main factors affecting the poor condition of the eyes are low physical activity, poor nutrition, with few vegetables and fruits in the diet, as well as constant sitting in closed rooms and long time in front of screens.
According to her, it is important for adults and children to follow a suitable work and rest regime, to take breaks while reading and working in front of screens. “Breaks can be taken every 15-20 minutes, they can be short, at least a few seconds are enough to move your gaze into the distance. If possible, breaks can be longer, 10 or 20 minutes. The working environment is no less important – good lighting, the right distance between the computer or the book”, says D. Juškienė.
L. Tamošauskienė adds that when working hard, it is important not only to take breaks, but also to blink often – this is how moisture is restored in the eyes. “You should also have moisturizing, rinsing, disinfecting and anti-inflammatory drops with you, don’t forget to strengthen your immune system, and clean your eyes properly. Those who wear contact lenses should let their eyes rest and wear glasses more often,” says L. Tamošauskienė.
Eye health-friendly relative, 40-60 percent. air humidity, and it is important for children to spend at least 2 hours a day in the fresh air. “Fresh air helps reduce the progression of myopia and delays its onset. Children up to 7-8 years old should avoid looking at screens closely, and at a later age, 1-2 hour breaks from screen time should be encouraged,” observes D. Juškienė.
Eye health is also affected by what we put on our plate
A complete diet with plenty of vegetables and fruits is also important for the condition of the eyes. According to the ophthalmologist, patients with permanent macular degeneration are recommended to include products with lutein and zeaxanthin in their diet – they are abundant in spinach, peppers, broccoli, leafy and Brussels sprouts, lettuce leaves, green peas, eggs, and green beans.
“It’s also important to monitor vitamin D levels, which may be related to the progression of myopia. You should remember to drink plenty of water and consume products rich in Omega-3. If there is a feeling of a foreign body, tearing or stinging eyes, instilling artificial tears and warming the eyelids can help,” says D. Juškienė.
Not just any sunglasses are suitable
L. Tamošauskienė points out that in order to take proper care of your eyes, you should take care of protection against ultraviolet rays – wear sunglasses: “When choosing glasses, their passport is always issued, which indicates the parameters of the glasses. Glasses should be chosen in specialized stores or opticians.”
Specialists point out that the technical parameters are usually indicated on the side of the inner legs of the glasses, and the UV coating has 100% protection. protect against ultraviolet rays.
Errors that can take away vision
The doctor advises contact lens wearers to better choose one-day lenses, the use of which does not require a liquid and lens container, which can become a source of infection.
“For those who wear monthly lenses, it is important to change them on time, thoroughly disinfect the container, change the liquid,” says D. Juškienė. – I also recommend that contact lens wearers use artificial tears, always insert and remove lenses with clean hands, do not sleep with contact lenses, do not bathe in the lake or shower with them. Failure to follow the basic rules can lead to vision loss, hard-to-treat keratitis that leaves scars, and the treatment can end in a corneal transplant.”
Many problems are solved by properly selected over-the-counter preparations
If you experience eye ailments, tearing, stinging or crushing, you should first consult a pharmacist. “If the condition does not improve within 5 days after taking over-the-counter preparations and ensuring proper hygiene, you should consult a doctor. Of course, in cases where you feel a lot of discomfort, pain or impaired vision, there is no need to delay – you should immediately consult a doctor,” says L. Tamošauskienė.
The pharmacist notices that both young and elderly people are taking care of their eyes more and more: “People are applying and consulting. However, many customers think that the tearing of the eyes is caused only by inflammation, but it is often caused by impaired function of the tear glands of the eyes, impaired integrity of the tear film, and properly selected over-the-counter preparations can help.
2024-08-14 16:42:48