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Tears, composed of water and fatty bodies, are spread over the surface of the eye thanks to the eyelid beats. They moisten, nourish and act as a protective barrier for the cornea. Eye drought, or dry eye syndrome, occurs when the quantity and/or quality of tears is insufficient. People who suffer from it then feel tingling, itching, burning and foreign body sensations in the eye …
“Eye drought is a pathology that is more widely part of the ocular surface disorders, the conjunctive and the cornea which are the protective envelope of the eye. A dysfunction of one or more constituents leads to a disruption of this ocular surface, the consequence of which is this feeling of dry eye ”, Explains Dr. Paul Bastelica, ophthalmologist at the National Hospital of 15-20 (Paris).
Why can summer be a risk factor for eye dryness?
- Air conditioners, more widely used in summer and in particular in the event of hot weather: dry air emitted by air conditioning can dry the eyes and accentuate symptoms. “In addition, mold can infiltrate air conditioners and be rejected in the air, causing reactions such as dry ocular. Many patients with variable severity ocular surface disorders are really very embarrassed by air conditioners. It is really one of the first aggravating factors », Underlines the specialist.
- Pollution peaks that often accompany heat peaks: fine particles, irritating gas are all pollutants that can accentuate ocular drought. They can also alter the quality of tears.
- The presence of allergens in the air and in particular the pollens: ” The grasses present in the air in the spring and early summer can trigger allergic symptoms including aggravation of dry ocular. ”
- UV action: “They act on the surface of the eye and can exacerbate the symptoms”.
- Forest fire fumes: Fine particles, toxic gas, volatile organic compounds, ashes and dust contained in the smoke of vegetation lights are particularly aggressive for the eye.
“It is difficult to assert that these factors trigger ocular drought, but predisposed patients, like those who have anomalies of the ocular surface but which do not have symptoms, can trigger symptoms in summer”, Estime Le Dr. Paul Bastelica.
How, in summer, reduce the risk of eye dryness?
For people near the fire fires, Dr. Bastellica advises to regularly carry eyewashes to clean up possible toxic products contained in smoke.
“For people whose dry eye is known, I recommend that I always have artificial tears with them to regularly lubricate the eye surface during the day. »»
Regarding air conditioning, the ophthalmologist advises “ to lower the intensity of the ventilation, not to direct the fresh air to the present people and above all to have the device revised before the summer period to prevent mold to be rejected in the air and come to deposit on the eye area ”.
Without effective prevention, the risk mainly concerns asymptomatic forms of ocular surface disorders. “Patients then consult us at a more advanced stage of the disease. This can then cause conjunctival fibrosis, scars on the eye surface which can be very disabling. »» In the absence of care, drought can cause chronic eye irritation and lesions of the cornea (keratitis).
In the secondary forms of the dry ocular, linked to a disease in particular, the treatment will depend on the cause. If dry eye syndrome is linked to a medication, the doctor may adapt the treatment.
Is wearing contact lenses a risk factor?
“Contact lenses represent in itself a factor of risk of ocular surface disorders and therefore of ocular drought”, note the ophthalmologist. In summer, the risk of dry eye is therefore exponential for carriers of contact lenses. “A primordial precaution to be taken at the time of summer is to avoid any contact of the lenses with water. The microorganisms present in the water are very toxic for the surface of the eye and the lenses are tanks for all these microorganisms. They can accumulate in the eye surface, create abrasion and cause infection of the cornea or the eye surface which can be very serious ”.
Source: Interview Du Dr. Paul Bastelica, Ameli.fr