CHENNAI: Summer is here and most of us try to beat the heat blasting the rooms with air conditioners and coolers. On average, we spend around 14 to 16 hours per day in an air-conditioned room. However, a lesser-known fact about the artificial air and temperature change caused by ACs is that it harms our health. The largest organ in the body, the skin, to the most delicate organ, the eyes, can be affected by long-term use of ACs. Common complaints of people working in AC rooms are that they feel dryness, irritation, grittiness, stickiness, itching, burning and watering from the eyes. Medically, this is called dry eye or Dry Eye Syndrome.
Dr S Preethi, head of clinical services, Ophthalmology, Dr Agarwal Eye Hospital, talks about the causes of and care for dry eyes.
Air conditioning and dry eye
Adequate quality and quantity of tears in the eyes is essential for the smooth functioning of eyes. Dry Eye Syndrome is the change in this quality or quantity of the three layers of tear film — oily (exterior layer), water/aqueous layer (middle layer) and protein (inner layer).
In an air-conditioned room, especially in very low temperatures, there is loss of humidity. The air becomes extremely dry and causes evaporation from the watery layer of the tear film, which makes the eye feel itchy or dry. Long-term exposure to air conditioning can also alter lipid production in the eyelids, causing both a change in quality and quantity of tear film.
Without lubrication, eyes are more vulnerable to inflammation and infection. Poor hygiene of air-conditioning facilities is among the main cause for the proliferation of virus, bacteria and fungi. Dryness and vulnerability to disease due to dryness lead to inflammation and infections.
Tips to prevent dry eye
If untreated, as the severity and duration of dry eye increases, the patient might develop damage to the corneal surface, corneal ulcers and serious vision problems. As prevention is always better than cure, here are some tips you can follow.
● Try to minimise the number of hours of using air-conditioned rooms. If you are in an AC room, the recommended temperature setting would be 23OC
● Avoid sitting with your face facing air conditioners, so that your eyes are not directly exposed to the artificial air
● Place a small open bowl of fresh water in a corner of the room to maintain the humidity in the room, thereby preventing dry skin and dry eyes
● Drink enough liquids in a day
● Frequent conscious blinking when using a computer or mobile phone will help in appropriating the distribution of tear film
● Sleep for 7–8 hours
● Consider wearing sunglasses or other protective eyewear
● Follow the recommendations and prescriptions from an eye doctor on medication and in-office procedures
● Use lubricating eye drops as prescribed by ophthalmologists
Factors that cause dry eye
● Ageing
● Menopause
● Certain medical conditions including diabetes, thyroid disorders and Vitamin A deficiency
● Side effects of certain drugs like antihistamines
● Laser eye surgery, though symptoms of dry eyes related to this procedure are usually temporary
● Tear gland damage from inflammation or radiation
● Diseases that affect your ability to make tears like Sjogren’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and collagen vascular diseases
● Problems that prevent eyelids from closing the way they should
● Tear gland damage from inflammation or radiation
● Air pollution: People in metros like New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai are more likely to be diagnosed with dry eye syndrome than residents from towns with relatively lesser air pollution
● Prolonged staring/usage of computer/mobile phones
● Avoid sitting in rooms with air conditioning for long periods of time
Symptoms of dry eye
● Burning, dryness, grittiness, itchiness, aching sensations, heaviness, watering from the eyes and blurred vision.
● Reading speed can slow down and the rate might decrease as the severity increases