Pollution is one such evil in our lives that is not only ruining parts of the earth with each passing day, but it is also a detrimental factor in disturbing our health. From adverse effects on lungs to various cancers, pollution is a notorious element in causing serious health issues. In fact, many eye related problems like infections, dry eyes to name a few are the effects of pollution. Here are a few remedies that will help you soothe such eye problems and act as a fix. 1. The pollutants in the air can cause conjunctivitis and other eye infections. Avoid touching your eyes without washing your hands. Also, if you catch the infection, then use lubricating eye drops and other prescribed medicines to relieve the condition. 2. Try to keep your eyes covered as much as possible. Use good quality sunglasses and wide brimmed hats to prevent dust, allergens from entering the eyes. 3. Buy sunglasses that provide UV protection to banish the harmful ultraviolet sun rays. 4. Cold compresses can give immediate relief from itchy eyes when applied around the eye. The easiest way to apply cold compresses in the itchy eye is to soak a clean, sterile piece of cloth in cold water and apply it to an affected eye. Repeat this to get quick relief. 5. Soak cotton swabs with rose water and put it over eyes to soothe puffy eyes and it will also help in cleansing the area around the eyes. 6. Always wash your eyes with cold water after coming back from outside to prevent irritation and infections. 7. Calendula is a herb with antiviral and antibacterial properties that help fight infection and heal conjunctivitis. Moreover, being anti-inflammatory, it soothes eye discomfort and irritation. 8. Add some dried chamomile flowers in boiling water and use this to wash your eyes after cooling. This simple mixture is an effective method to treat burning eyes and can be performed easily at home. 9. Drink fresh vegetable juice. Prepare a juice of carrots and spinach and have it on a regular basis to check redness and itchiness in eyes and keep them healthy. 10. If you feel severe itching or redness, avoid touching or rubbing your eyes at any cost. If the remedies do not provide relief, then see your eye doctor immediately. Cover your eyes, wash them clean every time you get home from outside and follow these simple steps to relieve eye problems caused by pesky pollution. Contact Lenses and Air Pollution The effects of air pollution are even worse for people who use contact lenses on a daily basis. When we are outside during peak pollution levels, it can be especially uncomfortable for contact lenses users as the lenses are a foreign body for our eyes, and are further aggravated by increased levels of pollution. We heavily advise contact lenses users to use glasses when exposed to high levels of pollution to protect their eyes from the harmful effects. Another effect of pollution on contact lenses is that they reduce the life of the lenses. For example, lenses which can be safely used for 30 months are reduced to having a safe effective life of only 8 months. Dry Eye Syndrome and Air Pollution A clear example of pollution affecting our eyes is dry eye syndrome. It refers to a deficiency in the production of tears in our eyes, which leads to dryness, irritation and other eye problems. Our eyes are naturally lubricated by a coating of tear film that compromises of oil, water and mucus. There are many factors which lead to dry eye syndrome, such as age and other eye diseases but pollution is also a major cause of the disease. Studies have shown that there is a clear link between dry eye syndrome and the quality of the air that surrounds us. Some preventive steps for dry eye syndrome include wearing glasses which cover the eyes and prevents the pollutive elements in the air to interact with them. Hydration and Air Pollution It is vital for our bodies to be hydrated properly when it comes to the health of our eyes. Our eyes cannot produce adequate tears for lubrication when our body isn’t hydrated, leading to problems like dryness and irritation in our eyes which get even worse when we are exposed to pollution which can lead to further complications. By drinking at least eight glasses of water on a daily basis, we can ensure our bodies would be sufficiently hydrated for our eyes to be lubricated and well-functioning. Read Also: Pollutants in Air: How to Protect your Eyes from Harm Quit Smoking and Other Bad Habits The effects of pollution of the eyes of smokers are even more severe as their bodies are not only just being affected by the polluting elements in the environment but also by the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes. Cigarette-smoking is not only injurious to our eyes but also for our entire bodies and cigarette combined with exposure to high levels of pollution is a really bad combination for the health of our eyes and our health in general. By quitting smoking or never starting it in the first place, you can make the effects of air pollution less severe than they would be for a smoker. Good Indoor Air Quality Air pollution is not just outside our houses but can also be inside too. There are certain steps you can take to ensure that the quality of air inside your house is great and free of any pollution: 1. Ensure proper ventilation so that the air inside your house is not stagnant but refreshing. 2. Clean your air conditioner regularly so that it works properly in refreshing the air indoors. 3. Use natural air purifiers like beeswax candles and activated charcoal. 4. Keep a few house plants to further purify the air inside your house naturally. 5. Use eco-friendly cleaning products.
