The incidence of epidemics has also increased in recent days as the weather has started to cool down. Adenoviruses, which are characterized by sore throat, fever, cough and runny nose, can cause conjunctivitis, also known as conjunctivitis and red eye.

Stating that viral infections that increase with cold weather also affect eye health, Ophthalmologist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gamze Öztürk Karabulut said, “The incidence of epidemic diseases has also increased in recent days when the weather has started to cool down. Adenoviruses, which are characterized by sore throat, fever, cough and runny nose, can cause conjunctivitis, known as conjunctivitis and red eye. It is important for those with these symptoms to be examined by an ophthalmologist in terms of eye health.”
Adenovirus Outbreak in Eyes
It is also frequently seen with adenovirus outbreaks in the eyes in winter. We encounter adenovirus outbreaks mostly in the fall and winter periods. Since people spend much more time indoors, the contagiousness of the virus increases. Severe and long-lasting redness can occur in the eye. This can be transmitted through door handles and elevator buttons that people come into contact with. It is important to wash our hands before touching our eyes and pay attention to hand hygiene to prevent the spread of adenovirus. People with complaints such as sore throat, runny nose and eyes, fever and cough are recommended to be examined by an ophthalmologist.
Attention to Air Pollution
Increasing air pollution in cold weather, especially in big cities, increases the problem of dry eyes. Environmental conditions affect eye health very much. Since air pollution increases in cities in winter months, we encounter a lot of dry eye problems. When people go to different cities, complaints may decrease or increase according to the environment of that city. Someone who has no complaints and lives in the countryside may feel uncomfortable when he comes to the city, or dry eye complaints may increase when he goes from cities with a mild and humid climate to regions with a dry and cold climate. Dry eye causes complaints such as burning, stinging, itching, pain, fatigue. We create an environment for ourselves in the smoke, which causes burning and stinging in the eyes and creates a feeling of fatigue. For this reason, one of the biggest health problems encountered in cold weather, especially in winter, is dry eye. Even people who do not feel discomfort throughout the year may have complaints when the weather gets colder.
Humid Environments are Important
Heaters and air conditioners in closed environments cause dry eye or increase the complaints of the person with dry eye. Systems used for heating indoor environments can also take moisture from the air and cause complaints such as dry eye. For this reason, it is very important to humidify the environment indoors. If the complaint of dry eye increases, it is recommended to consult a doctor.
Don’t Neglect to Consume Vegetables and Fruits
We may not get enough vitamins in winter. For this reason, consuming healthy vegetables and fruits will also be beneficial for eye health. In addition, regular eye examinations once a year are important for the protection of eye health and early diagnosis of diseases.

January 2024