An ophthalmologist gives his advice to limit the risks of eye dryness. This syndrome affects many people, especially in summer.
Red eyes, which burn, spray … If you know these symptoms, you have probably already suffered from eye dryness. This unpleasant syndrome is all the more frequent in summer, with heat, sun, sand or even air conditioning. Some people are particularly at risk: those who wear contact lenses, who suffer from eye allergies or the elderly. According to health insurance, “15 % of people over the age of 60 have ocular drought”. Taking certain drugs, including antihistamines and antidepressants, can also increase the risk.
Fortunately, it is possible to prevent the appearance of ocular drought. For this, Dr. Paul Bastelica, ophthalmologist at the National Hospital of 15-20 recommends:
- “Wear sunglasses to protect the sun” but also from wind, dust and sand,
- “Take breaks when wearing lenses, or favoring glasses,
- Clig with eyes regularly, especially in front of a screen “where we tend to do it less, which dries up your eyes,
- And finally “to avoid prolonged exposure to direct air currents (fans, windows open by car, air conditioning)”.
Also, since repeated swimming, especially because of “chlorine of pools or sea water”, can be the cause of an eye dryness, it is preferable to wear pool glasses or not put your head underwater.
If despite everything, symptoms of dry ocular occur (“burning or tingling feeling in the eyes, a feeling of foreign body – like sand in the eyes -, increased sensitivity to light, even a tearing”, lists Dr. Bastelica), solutions exist. These include artificial tears, which are available without a prescription. It is also necessary to avoid all the risk factors mentioned above in order to avoid worsening the situation.
But in some cases, that is not enough. Dr. Bastelica specifies that it “is necessary to consult an ophthalmologist if the symptoms persist despite the use of artificial tears, intense pain appears, when the vision becomes troubled”. Do not take the eye dryness to the light because if they are not treated, it “can weaken the surface of the eye and cause infections, or opacities of the cornea which can question” the vision, alerts the ophthalmologist.
