As the summer sun blazes overhead, most of us try to seek refuge in cool indoors or avoid stepping outdoors unnecessarily. During this time, to protect our skin from the harmful rays of the sun, a few steps get added to the skin care routine. We take a little extra care of our health as well to avoid dehydration, heat exhaustion or other health problems caused by rise in temperatures. But what about eyes? We often overlook the impact of scorching heat on our eyes.

To understand the impact of scorching heat on eyes, OnlyMyHealth interacted with Dr Nirav Shah, Head – Clinical Services, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital, Surat, Gujarat.

Impact Of Heat On Eye Health

Excessive heat can have a significant impact on eye health, causing discomfort and potentially more serious issues. Explaining how heat impacts eyes, Dr Shah said, “With summer comes a lot of heat and dry winds, lot of dust and pollen where heat causes faster tear evaporation and dust causing allergy increasing risk of vernal conjunctivitis making eyes very vulnerable to dry eyes and allergic conjunctivitis.” 

Talking further on the importance of eye care during summer, Dr Shah said, “As India grapples with heat waves and soaring temperatures, showing no signs of relief, the scorching heat in summer can hinder your vision of being left unprotected. During Summers , not only the skin but even eyes need to be safeguarded from UV rays. So if adequate care is not taken, eyes will be vulnerable to different eye issues like redness, itchiness, burning sensation and if left untreated  can lead to serious vision related issues.” 

Also read: Bulging Eyes, Feeling Irritation In The Eye? It Could Be Thyroid Eye Disease

Eye Problems Caused By Heat

As per Dr Shah, there are various eye problems that can flare up in summers. Below are few eye health problems. 

1. Dry eye disease

As per National Institute of Eye, Dry eye happens when your eyes don’t make enough tears to stay wet, or when your tears don’t work correctly. This can make your eyes feel uncomfortable, and in some cases it can also cause vision problems.

2. Eye Allergies

WebMd states that if your eyes well up when you go outside during spring or summer, you may have seasonal allergic conjunctivitis. 

3. Phototoxic keratitis

Phototoxic Keratitis also known as ultraviolet keratitis is caused by the toxic effects of acute high-dose ultraviolet radiation (UVR) reflecting the sensitivity of the ocular surface to photochemical injury. The clinical syndrome presents with ocular pain, tearing, conjunctival chemosis, blepharospasm, and deterioration of vision typically several hours after exposure, lasting up to 3 days, National Institute of Health stated.

4. Stye

A style is a small, red lump that grows from the base of your eyelash or under your eyelid. It is often painful. 

Dos And Don’ts To Protect Eye Health During Summers

Dr Shah gave some important dos and don’ts one should practice in summers to protect your eyes from scorching heat. 

Do’s

1. Protect your eyes from summer heat by wearing  protective UVA and UV B goggles and hats

2. Ensure that eyes remain hydrated, use lubricating eye drops

3. Stay hydrated

4. Protect your eyes during swimming 

5. Ensure proper UV protection of eyes

6. Practice hand hygiene 

Also read: How Ageing Impacts Vision: Steps Young People Should Take To Protect Their Eyes

Don’ts 

1. Avoid rubbing your eyes.

2. Avoid self mediating in case of infection 

3. Avoid touching dirty hands to eyes especially in cases of stye

4. Avoid direct entry of air conditioned or fan air to the eyes to decrease the evaporation rate

Conclusion

In conclusion, Dr Shah said, “Not only your skin but also your eyes need a generous amount of moisturization through artificial tear drops. Along with prescribed drops, it is imperative to drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated.” 

(Disclaimer: This article is backed by studies and doctor’s advice if for informational purposes only. We advise you to consult with your healthcare provider if you have any eye related issues.)