Docyard | sight the pollution

Eyes are not only your windows to outside world but also a hiatus to your doctor to look into your health. In fact, hundreds of diseases can be diagnosed by carefully looking into the eyes. Thus, it is most important to take care and preserve the best gift of the nature to the mankind.  The ever-increasing air pollution, lifestyle changes and professional demands have put a lot of strain on the eyes. Their exposed position in the body makes them very vulnerable to the ill effects of harmful atmospheric gases, particulate matter, windy dry conditions and UV radiations. The effects are particularly common in outdoor workers like traffic policemen, school children, contact lens users, smokers and two-wheeler drivers. The symptoms range from simple irritation of the eyes to burning sensation to severe allergies.

SYMPTOMS

• Dryness
• Grittiness
• Redness
• Watering
• Itching or scratchiness or soreness

The eyes are kept moist and healthy by constant secretions of tears. Tears not only provide nourishment to the eye but also help to fight infections and wash off the debris. Tears are also important for a clear and crisp eyesight. The prolonged exposure to the particulate matter in the air destroys the glands producing tears, causing their deficiency. This results in feeling of grittiness and burning sensation. The discomfort may be periodic or constant depending on severity of the condition. A person may experience blurring or difficulty in opening eyes in bright light.

The combustion of   diesel and petrol releases many compounds that on exposure to sunlight can change into allergens. These compounds cause allergies which is particularly common in children. Constant rubbing also raises the risk of recurrent lid infections. The increased exposure to ultraviolet light can cause cataract, surface degenerations, retinal diseases and rarely cancer of the skin of the lids.

PREVENTION

The harmful effects of pollution on eyes cannot be totally prevented, but can be reduced by taking few simple measures.

• Wearing glasses/sunglasses
• Avoiding highly polluted areas
• Wearing full face helmets while driving
• Pollution levels are highest at early morning and late evenings in winters, so outdoor activity like running and walking should preferably be avoided at this time.

TREATMENT

• Dry eyes are treated by supplementing tears with artificial tear drops/lubricants. The severe symptoms like persistent burning or  redness or difficulty in opening eyes in bright light should preferably be treated by an eye doctor.
• One should also remember to blink more often. Blinking reduces the surface evaporation of tears.
• The symptoms of itching can be reduced by anti allergy drops and cool compresses. Cool compresses can be done by placing wet  cloth/towel/cucumber on the eyes.
• Splashing of water on the eyes should be done with closed lids only as water in open eyes increases dryness and also washes of many useful naturally occurring anti infective antibodies.
• One should avoid rubbing the eyes
• Keep the environment clean and reduce our  carbon footprints, for prevention is better than cure.

(The writer is Senior Consultant Ophthalmologist, RR Eye Care, New Delhi)