Pay attention to these if your eyes are dry and red when you are exposed to air conditioning in your environment.

In the hot weather of summer, attention should be paid to eye health as much as attention to body health. Factors such as dry air, use of air conditioners and chlorine in pools can negatively affect eye health in summer.

Conjunctivitis (colloquially known as red eye, conjunctivitis) is a more common eye problem in summer. In addition, since the sun’s rays are more effective in summer, cataracts and yellow spot disease are easier to occur. In addition, sun rays can cause skin cancers around and in the eye, as in any tissue open to the external environment.  Conjunctivitis can manifest itself as bleeding and redness in the eyes as the blood vessels in the eye become prominent. The disease can occur in one eye or both eyes. There are many types of conjunctivitis, including microbial and allergic. Symptoms include redness, watering, itching, stinging and discharge that causes burrs during the night and prevents the eyes from opening in the morning. This highly contagious disease must be treated on time. Otherwise, it can become chronic and cause permanent stains on the pupil.

Being in air conditioned and heated environments for a long time can cause dry eyes. Factors such as dry working environment, use of heating or air conditioning, smoking or being in smoking environments, looking at the screen for a long time while using a computer also increase dry eye complaints. To protect eye health in summer, attention should be paid to the hygiene of pools, using swimming goggles in the pool, using sunglasses recommended by the doctor, hygiene of contact lenses, not entering the sea or pool with contact lenses, avoiding impacts to the eye during outdoor sports and prolonged exposure to the sun. In addition, those with allergic eye diseases should avoid the sun, dusty environments and pollen. Against eye infections, eyes should not be touched with dirty hands and hands should be washed abundantly.

August 2023