The eyes of populations have been under great strain since the advent of personal computing and the whole world began to look across and down at the variety of screens in front of it. As a result, eye health has suffered and new exercises such as the 20-20-20 rule were devised to help people manage eye related issues due to excessive screen time. During the pandemic of the past two years problems have been exacerbated by lockdowns forcing people to spend more of their time flicking through Netflix, working from home, or spending precious moments with family over Zoom. However, what has always been there as an issue for the eye is summer.
Doctors now say summer, despite its screenless nature, has an impact on the eyes.
Dr Tusha Grover says the season of heat and al fresco exercises has an impact on how one of the body’s most complicated assets functions.
“The sun’s scorching heat is extremely harmful to the eyes” says the Medical Director of the Vision Eye Centre in New Delhi.
Dr Grover continues: “Summertime exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays can increase the risk of cataracts and retinal damage.”
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As a result it is crucial that any sunglasses worn provide UV protection.
Dr Grover adds the summer “can also cause eye allergies, which range from mild itching and redness to severe watering and swelling of the eyelids, sties, and bacterial and viral conjunctivitis”.
Hayfever, an accoutrement of spring and summer, has a strong role to play in this regard.
Excessive heat can also cause “ocular burns, cataracts, macular degeneration and cancer,” adds Dr Grover.
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These lumps often turn red and firm or develop in ulcers; cancer patches meanwhile are described by the NHS as “flat and scaly”.
It is recommended by the NHS to seek medical advice if the “lump, ulcer, lesion, or skin discolouration has not healed after 4 weeks”.
The NHS adds: “While it’s unlikely to be skin cancer, it’s best to get it checked.”
More information about skin cancer can be found on the NHS website.
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