Eye care is important at all times of the year, especially during the cold season when our eyes experience extra stress and challenges. During this period, eye disease specialists usually diagnose dry eye syndrome. How to help yourself and avoid discomfort comments Viktorija Bakstytė, an ophthalmologist at Lirema Eye Clinic.
“Nowadays, when we spend a lot of time in front of computers, phones and other smart devices, it means we blink much less than usual. Blinking less often causes instability of the tear film and dry eyes, and in the cold season, when the heating season begins, the eyes dry out even more intensively – we receive an influx of patients,” says the doctor.
Effective protection
According to doctor V. Bakstytė, the main causes of dry eyes are a tear deficit caused by decreased tear secretion and increased tear evaporation, but in almost a third of cases, dry eyes occur for both reasons and are of a mixed type.
“In the case of a tear deficit, the most common complaints include a feeling of sand and dryness in the eyes, which occurs in the evening, and in the case of increased tear evaporation, there is tearing, a burning sensation in the eyes, which occurs in the morning or at night,” says the doctor.
According to her, elderly patients who take certain medications, suffer from systemic diseases or engage in activities in closed rooms with artificial ventilation and heating systems often complain of dry eyes. Not only breaks from work are important for the eyes, but also the environment in which we are often, so we should pay attention to the humidity of the premises and use an air humidifier.
“When working intensively in front of screens and to let your eyes rest and restore the balance of the tear film, you should take breaks of at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes: look into the distance, blink often or stay with your eyes closed – when you blink, the Meibomian glands on the edges of the eyelids release a clear fatty secretion that forms the tear lipid a layer that prevents the evaporation of tears and thus maintains the moisture of the eye surface”, advises the specialist.
According to V. Bakstytė, sunglasses are often forgotten during the winter, which can help protect the eyes from cold wind and ultraviolet rays.
“We wear sunglasses with pleasure in the summer. Sometimes we remember them on vacation, but we rarely wear them on a normal winter day. Although there are fewer sunny hours in Lithuania, snow reflects a large number of ultraviolet rays in winter, which contributes to environmental factors that cause oxidative stress, activate a cascade of inflammatory phenomena on the surface of the eye and promote the release of inflammatory mediators into tears,” reminds the ophthalmologist.
The doctor also recommends using artificial tears, which will provide comfort and help restore natural eye protection.
“Just as we take care of vitamins, we should also take care of artificial tears, which everyone should use prophylactically, regardless of the time of year. Wind and cold harm the tear film, so especially in the cold season, we should irrigate our eyes with artificial tears,” says doctor V. Bakstytė.
Warning for contact lens wearers
The specialist distinguishes a group of contact lens wearers for whom it is very important to respond in time to a change in the quality of vision or discomfort due to dry eyes.
“Contact lenses are a foreign body in the eye that can irritate the surface of the eye even in the absence of dry eyes. When the eyes are dry, they are irritated even more, encouraging the development of eye inflammations, such as conjunctivitis, keratitis or even corneal ulcers,” the ophthalmologist warns.
According to the specialist, if you experience any unpleasant symptoms, it is recommended to immediately remove the contact lenses and contact a specialist who will conduct detailed examinations, assess the condition of the eyes and vision and prescribe the most appropriate treatment.
“Contact lens wearers are often used to red, dry eyes, so we advise you to switch back to glasses occasionally to rest your eyes and restore the tear film. If such a change is not possible, you can think about laser eye surgery, which will allow you to give up contact lenses forever,” recommends the doctor.
Food as medicine
When we take care of the work regime, and sufficient hydration of the environment and eyes, attention should also be paid to nutrition.
“Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins A, C, D, zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin can not only help manage dry eyes and maintain good vision but also contribute positively to overall body health by reducing oxidative stress and damage to cells and tissues caused by it”, the ophthalmologist mentions.
According to her, depending on the body mass, to maintain proper hydration of the body, it is necessary to consume the necessary amount of fluids, and the best source of fluids for the body is water.
“You need to drink water not only when you are thirsty but regularly. When we’re dehydrated, we don’t always feel thirsty, so it’s a mistake to think that we don’t lack fluids if the body doesn’t show signs,” says doctor V. Bakstytė.
The water requirement for a normally healthy adult is calculated by multiplying the body weight by 30-35 ml. The obtained result is the theoretical norm for our day.
“Of course, gender, age, physical activity, environmental conditions, co-morbidities, and medications taken should also be taken into account. If you plan to do sports, stay longer in rooms where the air is dry, or air conditioners are running, you should consume more water than the calculated rate”, concludes the doctor.