JOIN USHere’s your guide to eyecare
While people often think more about taking care of their eyes and protecting them from the sun in summers, our eyes can just as easily get affected by various factors in the winter, too. Whether you’re working in the office, or are on a winter vacation or just cosying up by the fire, it is essential to take good care of your vision by following some winter eye care guidelines:
• Keep your eyes lubricated: Dry winter air can cause your eyes to be more sensitive. The use of fire or heaters in closed areas leads to drying out the moisture in the air, which further leads to irritation and increased dryness in your eyes. Use lubricating eye drops to keep your eyes moist.
• Wear sunglasses for UV protection: Ultraviolet rays can enter your eyes from the sky and are also reflected off the snow into your eyes, leading to double the amount of UV exposure than normal; it can also lead to cornea inflammation. Excessive UV exposure can lead to the formation of cataracts.
• Viral keratitis: Viral keratitis is a condition where an inflammation occurs in the cornea. To avoid or prevent keratitis, you should not touch your eyes frequently or with unwashed hands, and if you are a contact lens user, then use daily disposable contact lenses and a good lens solution.
• Stay warm & keep well: Usually, during winters, our immune system is down and it can lead to falling ill frequently. Keep yourself and your family warm and well covered in proper woollens. It is essential to cover your head and ears to avoid catching a cold or getting a headache or an earache. If you are experiencing a particularly uncomfortable dry eye, redness or irritation in the eye, contact your eye doctor immediately.
Take care of your eyes and enjoy the winter chill.
(The author is additional director, Center for Sight)