Three eye conditions more likely to occur during the winter
Every part of the body can be affected by the cold weather, including the eyes. Express.co.uk spoke to doctor Paula Oliveira about the impact of cold weather on the eyes. Doctor Oliveira said there are three conditions with increased probability of occurring during the winter months.
The first is the eyes feeling drier and swelling up. She explained: “Dry eyes in winter could be due to various reasons.
“For instance, the cold and low humid atmosphere can have winds that blow your face causing dry eye. Use of too much heating in rooms may also result in dry eyes. Worse cases may accompany swelling, itching, and redness, especially for people with contact lenses.”
READ MORE: Popular drink loved by Britons causes ‘devastating’ vision loss
As well as dry and swollen eyes, blurred vision is more likely to occur. Dr Oliveira said: “When it is cold, blood vessels tend to constrict, thus limiting blood supply to your eyes.
“As a result, you may experience blurriness or double vision. Suppose you do not regain vision after moving to warmer environments, I recommend calling your doctor.”
Finally, a greater sensitivity to light can occur. Dr Oliveira said: “When it is cold, blood vessels tend to constrict, thus limiting blood supply to your eyes. As a result, you may experience blurriness or double vision. Suppose you do not regain vision after moving to warmer environments, I recommend calling your doctor.”
DON’T MISS
While certain conditions can affect your eye health in the winter more than the summer, it is crucial to look after your eyes year round.
One thing that has been on the rise is screen time. Since the COVID-19 lockdowns, people have spent more time working from home and/or staring at screens.
Screentime can lead to eyes feeling sore as people blink less when staring at them.
However, long before the lockdowns, in the 1990s at the dawn the online of revolution, health experts developed a rule to help people maintain their eye health to counter screentime.
READ MORE: Non-sugar sweeteners can be ‘useful tool’ in managing diabetes
Known as the 20-20-20 rule, it involves looking at something 20 feet away, every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds.
This is a rule mentioned by the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) who say: “You can’t harm your eyes by using a computer.
“Computers don’t cause permanent changes to your eyes, or make any eye conditions you may have worse, and there is no evidence that the blue light from screens is harmful.
“However, the following points will help keep your eyes comfortable while using any type of screen.”
These points include, including the 20-20-20 rule, advice and answers to potential questions regarding screentime and your sight.
They add: “Screen use won’t cause you to need spectacles. If you normally wear spectacles, screen use will not affect your prescription, although you may find that to prevent tiredness you need to wear your spectacles a little more.
“Good lighting is important for your vision. Make sure the general lighting in your room is adequate for what you are doing but try to avoid any glare on the screen itself as this can be uncomfortable.
“Ensure you have a display screen equipment assessment so that the height, quality and position of your screen is optimal. Consider the location of the screen compared with any windows in the room, this will avoid reflections or dazzle.”
For more latest Health News Click Here
Denial of responsibility! FineRadar is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.