Monsoon is the season of happiness and relief as it brings respite from the scorching summer heat and allows us to enjoy rains. But we should not forget the army of infections that attack us in this season. Your immunity is at stake if you don’t take proper care of your health and makes you susceptible to monsoon infections and illnesses. Eye infections are also a part of viral monsoon infections. Rainwater, bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc. can cause damage to your eyes and so, eye protection during monsoon is important. This article informs about the common eye problems during monsoon and some tips to prevent them. Scroll down to read more.
Common Eye Problems In The Rainy Season
Here are four common eye problems that are prevalent in the monsoon season.
Conjunctivitis
This remains the most common eye infection throughout the year but the rainy season and humid weather increase the risk twofold. If someone comes in contact with a person who has conjunctivitis, he/she can also easily get it. And because of increased viral and bacterial load during monsoon, it becomes easier for one to catch conjunctivitis. Your eyes can easily get infected by getting wet in the rain, wearing contact lenses for a longer time(them getting wet due to rain), swimming, using expired eye care products, etc. Sharing things like towels, napkins, eye cosmetics, etc. with someone can cause you conjunctivitis. Eyelash extensions can also cause conjunctivitis. Pink eyes is the other term used for conjunctivitis and this is a prominent sign of an eye infection. It is important that you seek immediate medical help from a doctor to get relief before the infection worsen.
Dry Eye
The second most common eye problem is dry eyes, says Dr. Hemant Todkar, Senior Ophthalmologist at Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune. This is seen more in summer especially in people who spend a large part of their day in air-conditioned rooms. AC sucks all the moisture present indoors to provide cooling. Due to lack of moisture and humidity, our eyes become dry and this condition is caused. Evaporative dry eyes are also termed for the situation when moisture gets evaporated from eyes leaving them dry. If you are someone who frequently encounters dry eyes problem, you must keep maximum protection during the monsoon. Your eyes are sensitive and prone to infection and inflammation. Exposure to viruses and bacteria can aggravate the condition and trigger severe eye infections. If you are diabetic, have thyroid or arthritis or deficient in vitamin A, you are highly likely to suffer from dry eye.
Also Read: Know All About Common Eye Infections From Ophthalmologist
If you have dry eye issue, you might face trouble in seeing a digital screen. Poor vision or focus are prominent signs of dry eyes. You should visit an ophthalmologist to get your eyes checked. This can avert other chronic eye diseases that may follow.
Stye
When bacteria build up on the skin around the eyes or the oil gland gets clogged, stye occurs. This is basically inflammation of the skin which causes redness and makes your eye look swollen. This is common in monsoon due to the increased risk of infections and contamination. In order to prevent stye, you must keep your eyes clean. If something like a bug gets into your eye, make sure you wash them with cold water to get rid of it immediately. Also, avoid using eye products during monsoon as these are also risk factors for stye and other eye infections.
Digital Eye Strain
This is not exactly a monsoon eye problem but a generic problem that can be seen in any and every season these days. Most people are working from home for over a year now which has increased load on their eyes. Prolonged use of digital devices causes digital eye strain which is characterized by dryness, runny eyes, redness and irritation in the eyes. This can be minimised by using blue light glasses and doing eye exercises.
Also Read: Can Blue Light Glasses Prevent Digital Eye Strain? Know From Ophthalmologist
How to Prevent Eye Problem During Monsoon?
Here are some steps that can be taken to reduce eye infections during the monsoon. These would also promote good eye health to keep them safe from viruses, bacteria and other risk factors.
- Don’t touch your eyes with dirty hands. If you have come from outside, make sure that you wash your hands first before anything else.
- Wash your eyes often and especially if they feel itchy and irritated. This helps in eliminating any harmful bacteria or virus in the eye which can cause infection.
- Use eye drops if your eyes feel itchy and dry. Doing this right from the beginning would reduce the risk of developing dry eye.
- If someone around you is having an eye infection, try to avoid close contact with them. If you administer eye drops to them, wash your hands after you are done.
- Wear sunglasses when you step out even if there is no sun. Glasses act as a barrier between you and invisible agents that may harm your eyes.
- Do not share your towel, napkins or eye products with anyone.
Eye infections are common during the monsoon season because of viruses and bacteria. You can keep your eye health in place by exercise the above preventive measures. Keeping your eyes clean and hygienic would resolve most of the problems.
Read More Articles in Other Diseases
