News Desk, News Nation 360 : The majority of people have a tendency to ignore their eyes entirely during the winter and take extra care of them in the summer. It is crucial that one must understand that the winter months make eyes more susceptible to damage than the summer months. This is primarily because of the sun's altered angle with respect to the Earth. Because of the sun's altered position, people may be more susceptible to UV and glare radiation. In addition, the majority of people spend more time outside in the winter, which increases the risk of eye problems. Kids and outdoor labourers are more vulnerable because they are usually outside for longer periods of time. Dr Ananya Ganguly, Consultant Paediatric and Comprehensive Ophthalmology Services, Disha Eye Hospitals has discussed about it thoroughly. Examining the connection between UV radiation, the eyes, and winter is crucial. All of the eye's structures age due to UV light. Reduced vision may result from chronic effects of UV exposure such as macular degeneration, cataracts, and corneal damage. The skin on the eyelids is the thinnest on the body. Dryness, wrinkles, accentuated skin, furrows, sagging, loss of elasticity, and mottled pigmentation are all caused by UV damage. Skin cancers, such as cutaneous melanoma, basal cell carcinomas, and squamous cell carcinomas, are linked to UV light. Squamous cell carcinomas can invade the cornea and inner workings of the eye in addition to the skin and conjunctiva. It may occasionally be necessary to remove the entire eye. 99 percent of the UV rays are absorbed by the front surface of the eye. This UV damage predisposes both noncancerous growths like pterygium and pinguecula as well as cancerous growths on the surface of the eye. When UV light is reflected off the water, as it is when skiing or participating in other water sports, damage to the cornea may result. It has been discovered that exposure to sunlight and UV radiation is linked to cataract development. The harm cannot be undone. Surgery is the only method of treating a cataract that interferes with day-to-day activities. The American Academy of Ophthalmology offers some tips for maintaining eye health in the winter. A humidifier is necessary to treat eyes if one spends a lot of time near heaters indoors. The explanation for this is that these heaters often tend to remove moisture from the air, which can cause dryness and irritation. It's crucial to restrict time spent outside, particularly if one wears contact lenses. If one wears soft lenses, be aware that they need a lot of moisture to stay in place; if they dry out, they may stick and distort the shape of the eyes. In this case, cutting back on your alcohol consumption would be a prudent move. The eyes are particularly sensitive and delicate. A few tips to help with wintertime eye care are listed below. - Eating healthfully: Proper diet is essential for healthy eyes. Fortunately, winter brings a bounty of nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables. Vitamin A, which is abundant in carrots, is beneficial for the retina. The fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6 found in foods like fish oil, cod liver oil, and vegetable oils are good for the eyes because they keep the eyes from drying out. Lutein, found in green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, mustard greens, and coriander leaves, may help to prevent or even reverse macular degeneration, Give up smoking: Everyone is aware of the negative effects of smoking, but few people are aware that smoking damages the eyes more than the lungs. It is unfortunate but true that smoking increases the risk of cataracts, macular degeneration, and damage to the optic nerve, Eye strain: Constantly staring at a computer screen can cause eye strain, which is a very common problem. In the long run, the eyes benefit from short bursts of time spent away from the computer screen.
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