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Tips To Avoid Dry Eyes In Cool Spaces: Whether you're working from home or in an office setting, chances are you spend a significant portion of your day in an air-conditioned room. While air conditioners offer respite from the heat, they can also pose health risks, particularly to your eyes. Dry hot air and dry cold air both have a negative impact on the body and eyes.

The human body is made in such a way that it has plenty of water in every cell and tissue. ACs provide climate control and give peace of mind during work hours. But it has a seriously drastic effect on the eyes as it dries out the tear film layer in the eye leading to dry eyes. In a conversation with Jagran English, Dr. Priyanka Singh (MBBS, MS, DNB, FAICO), Consultant & Eye Surgeon, Neytra Eye Centre, New Delhi explained how one can prevent dry eyes in cool environment. 

 

Continued low temperature removes all moisture in air causing eyes and skin to become dry and itchy. Without lubrication, eyes are more prone to inflammation and infection. This is exacerbated by the increased use of digital devices, especially in the workplace. This further leads to the development of allergic conjunctivitis and dry eyes leading to itching, eye pain, redness, dryness or watering from eyes, and inability to concentrate and focus on work.

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Tips To Maintain Normal Eyes

To combat dry eye disease and alleviate associated symptoms, consider the following preventive measures:

Stay hydrated: Keep yourself well hydrated. Drink at least 3 litres of water every day

Maintain optimal AC temperature: Keep the temperature of AC to 25 or 26 degrees. Avoid excessively cold settings, as it can disrupt the body's temperature regulation, leading to decreased water retention and ultimately leading to dehydration.

Use humidifiers: These will bring back the moisture in the air and will give relief to your eyes. You can also use them at home when using overnight ACs.

Take regular screen breaks: Take a break from screens/ monitors every 20 minutes for 20 seconds and look somewhere 20 feet away. This is called the 20-20-20 rule. This will prevent over-straining of the eyes from the screen and protect the eyes from getting Dry Eye Syndrome (DES).

Blink more often: Increased blinking spreads the tear film in the eyes evenly and decreases the symptoms.

Tips To Avoid Dry Eyes In Cool Spaces (Image Credits: Canva)

Use of lubricant eye drops: Use of a screen more than 6 hours a day, exposure to cool air at the workplace for long hours, and pre-existing dry eyes warrant the use of lubricant eye drops. It can be used 3 to 4 times a day to keep your eyes lubricated.

Avoid direct airflow: Avoid sitting with your face in front of the AC. Position yourself away from air conditioning vents to minimise direct airflow into your eyes.           

Incorporating these preventive measures into your daily routine can help alleviate dry eye symptoms and ensure optimal eye comfort in air-conditioned environments. By taking proactive steps to protect your eyes, you can safeguard your eye health and maintain productivity throughout the day.

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Consult an ophthalmologist in case of any worsening of symptoms. Dry eyes are a common and usually chronic condition that disrupts daily life as well as quality of life. If dry eye problems persist despite lifestyle modifications, consult an eye specialist for additional evaluation and appropriate treatment before other major concerns occur.