Lockdown tips: Eye infections during summers and how to avoid them

With temperatures crossing 45 degrees Celsius in certain parts of India the summer sun can harm the eyes leading to a host of infections and diseases in addition to several other physical issues Eye problems caused by sun and heat are early cataract formation pterygium yellowish white tissue which grows on the conjunctiva and invades the cornea pinguecula small yellowish white patch of tissue in the conjunctiva and degenerative changes in the retinaAccording to Ramesh Pillai Senior Corporate Optometrist Eyewear Division Titan Company Ltd some of the eye infections which one needs to be wary of in the summer and the monsoon times areConjunctivitisConjunctivitis is a term which most of us are familiar with It is nothing but the inflammation of Conjunctiva a thin transparent tissue which lines the white part of the eye ball It can be in the acute or in the chronic form and are usually selflimited lasting a maximum of two weeks if untreated Conjunctivitis often occurs in epidemic form and is called as pink eye in laymens termIt is associated with redness and a moderate amount of mucus discharge irritation and stickiness of the eye lids on waking with occasional swelling of the eye lids This is primarily caused by bacterial infection in warm climates Having said that conjunctivitis can be caused by viral and fungal infections as well Hence it is important you consult an eye doctor orophthalmologist before taking any medicationSince it is an epidemic form one should isolate themselves if they have conjunctivitis and should avoid touching others and also avoid using objects like towels and personal products used by the affected person To prevent the spread of the disease the person who is infected and the family should be instructed to give special attention to their personal hygieneAllergic ConjunctivitisAllergic Conjunctivitis is also known as seasonal or warm weather conjunctivitis It is an uncommon allergic disease which usually affects both the eyes and usually begins in the pre puberty age and lasts for 510 years It is more common in boys than in girls The identity of the specific allergen or allergens can help in treating the disease but it always remains a mystery In most of the cases some of the manifestations shown is known to be related to grass pollen sensitivityThe disease is less common in temperate than in warm climates and is almost nonexistent in cold climates It is almost more severe during the spring summer and fall than in the winter Symptoms associated with this form of conjunctivitis include extreme itching sensation a ropy discharge and sensitivity to light Cold compresses and ice packs are helpful and sleeping in cool air conditioned rooms can keep the person reasonably comfortable In case of severe symptoms one needs to consult an eye doctorophthalmologist for proper treatment with medication Recurrences are the rule particularly in the spring and summer but after number of recurrences the conjunctivitis heals leaving no scarsStyeStye is a common bacterial infection of the lid glands that is characterized by a localized red swollen and acutely tender area on the eye lid It is essentially an abscess with accumulation of puss formation in the cted glands Pain is the primary symptom and the intensity of the pain is in direct proportion to the amount of the lid swelling Treatment of Stye is with warm compresses for 1015 minutes 34 times a day followed with a medication If the swelling doesnt get resolved within 48 hours then you may have to consult an eye doctor for getting the right medication and treatmentRecurrent styes are also known to occur if the eyes have less amount of uncorrected refractive error Hence it is advisable to get the power checked as well by an Optometrist or an OphthalmologistDry Eye SyndromeDry Eye Syndrome is the deficiency in any of the tear film components which may lead to loss of the tear films stability This will cause rapid breakup of tear film and appearance of dry spots on the ocular surface Dryness of the eye may therefore result from any disease associated with deficiency of the tear film components which includes the aqueous mucin and lipid layer Symptoms of dry eyes can be scratchy or sandy foreign body sensation Other common symptoms are itching excessive mucous secretion burning sensation redness pain and photosensitivity inability to tolerate light Treatment involves prescribing tear substitutes based on the deficiency of the tear film component which is established through certain investigative tests done in the eye clinicshospitalsWhile Dry Eye is more to do with the deficiency of the eye to produce enough tears or to do with the tear films instability high temperatures during summer can only aggravate this condition by fast evaporation of the tear film Hence using tight goggles and use of humidifier can bring in a huge sigh of relief for people with moderate to severe dry eye problemsThe best way to prevent your eyes from getting any of these eye infections is by following these simple stepsMaintain a good personal hygieneAvoid touching the eyes very frequentlyBuild a good immunity by regular exercise and healthy eatingHydrate yourself by drinking lots and lots of water and having fluids rich in nutrients Have a minimum of two liters of water a dayProtect your eyes from the dust dirt and the harmful UV rays by using a good pair of sunglassesThe best way to keep your eyes protected from the harmful effects of the UV rays from the sun is by wearing a good pair of oversized polarized wraparound sunglasses which offers 100 percent UV protection and at the same time offers great comfort from the harmful glare of the sunlightProtecting your eyes from harmful blue rays by using blue filter lensesA good nights sleep gives your eyes a chance to rest heal and replenish so that your eyes can stay healthyGet your eyes examined periodically at least once in a year by a qualified Optometrist or an Ophthalmologist so that any problem pertaining to vision or the eye health can be diagnosed at an early stage and can be treated immediatelyCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates MidDay is now on Telegram Click here to join our channel middayinfomedialtd and stay updated with the latest newsThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever