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New Delhi, November 12, 2018 :
The winter season in the North of India along with the festivities brings along health hazards of the Draculean pollution. With the onset of festive season, the national capital is ready yet again to blanket itself with the nocuous cocktail of air pollutants in the form of smog. The air quality in New Delhi has reached an alarming stage in the last few weeks with government bodies advising against exposure to outdoors at certain peak pollution hours.
While most of us are becoming very conscious about wearing air purifying masks and taking care of our health, there is one thing we forget about – our eyes. Exposure to pollutants present in the smog such as carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide can cause itching, watering, unclear vision, redness, dry eyes and burning sensation. You are exposed to these harmful pollutants every time you step out of your home.
Let’s take a look at few basic tips that can help you maintaining good eye health:-
1. Splash of Cold Water : Always wash your eyes with cold water every time you are back from an outdoor site.
2. Minimalize Outdoor Exposure : The protection you can give your eyes is from trying to reduce exposure to smog. The government has issued advisory from avoiding early morning outdoor walks as that is when smog exposure tends to peak. Protection from eyewear like large size sunglasses is also not best suited, as the polluting fumes will find a way to get in your eyes.
3. Cool down the Inflammation : Using traditional methods like placing cold cucumbers on your eyes, you can cool down the inflammation and relax. You can also use eye drops for lubrication as per recommendations from your doctor.
4. Strict No to Eye Rubbing : Do not rub your eyes if any tiny pollutants enter. Immediately wash it off with clean water.
5. Your Diet Matters : Eat healthy and include lots of carrots, almonds, green leafy vegetables, fish, berries etc in your diet. These are very beneficial for keeping the eyes healthy. Keeping yourself hydrated is of utmost significance. Do ensure that you keep yourself hydrated from water and non-caffeinated drinks.
6. Blink Blink : While doing office work, regularly blink your eyes. This will help in lubricating them. Take regular breaks from your screen every 30-40 minutes.
You can also close the windows of your vehicles when stuck in traffic to avoid direct exposure to the smog and further damage. Taking these steps will help you fight smog and its ill-effects.
The author Dr Sandeep Buttan is Global Technical Lead Eye Health Asia, at Sightsavers
HealthySoch
