In the hot summer, why do eyes become drier the more eye drops are used?

Temperatures continue to rise recently

30℃→33℃→35℃→36℃!

The dog days of summer are really here~

It's hot everywhere! Hot! Hot!

What does your summer look like?

Enjoy the air conditioning! Eat melons! Play games!

As temperatures rise, the weather becomes drier

Do you often feel dry eyes, stinging, or a foreign body sensation?

Pay attention

It could be dry eyes !

Doctor, deputy chief physician, associate professor, master's tutor **** Yang Wanju, ocular surface and corneal disease specialist at Aier Eye Hospital affiliated to Wuhan University, reminds everyone that dry eyes are coming in the hot summer, don't take dry eyes lightly
What are the factors that trigger dry eyes in summer?

1. Staying in an air-conditioned room for a long time

Dry eyes are the result of multiple factors such as environment, living habits, and physical condition. In the hot summer, most areas start using air conditioners after the summer begins. While cooling, air conditioners also reduce air humidity, and closed doors and windows make dry eyes more likely to occur.

2. Reduced outdoor activities

In the hot summer, most people give up outdoor sports and choose to stay indoors. Less outdoor sports also means more time spent using electronic products. When staring at a computer or mobile phone screen for a long time, the number of blinks decreases, and the eyeballs are exposed to the air for a long time, causing moisture to evaporate too quickly, resulting in dry eyes and discomfort, which can easily induce and aggravate dry eye syndrome.

3. Wearing contact lenses for a long time

Summer is the peak travel season, and many people choose to wear contact lenses when traveling. However, wearing contact lenses for a long time will aggravate the evaporation of tears and cause related dry eye symptoms.

4. Staying up late for a long time and reversing day and night

The human body clock defaults to working during the day and resting at night. When the eyes are open during the day, more tears are secreted to help moisten the eyes. When sleeping at night, the eyes are closed and the secretion of tears is relatively small. Once the day and night are reversed for a long time, the eyes are overloaded and may have functional disorders, leading to abnormal secretion of tear film and inducing dry eye syndrome.

5 Eye diseases

Meibomian gland dysfunction, eye mites, eyelid margin inflammation, decreased tear secretion, etc. can cause dry eyes.

How to prevent dry eyes in summer?

1. Blink more

Normally, we blink about 20 times per minute. When using electronic products, we blink less frequently due to excessive concentration, resulting in insufficient tear moisture in the eyes. Conscious blinking can relieve dry eyes to a certain extent.

People who need to use their eyes for long periods of time can follow the 20-20-20 rule to relax appropriately: take a 20-second break every 20 minutes, look away from the screen, look at the grass, green trees or other objects about 6 meters away, without squinting or blinking, keep your eyes active, which will help adjust eye sensitivity.

2. Pay attention to eye hygiene

It is easy to sweat in summer, so it is recommended to wash your hands frequently and not rub your eyes with your hands.

3. Eat more foods rich in vitamins

Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, and increase the intake of vitamins A, B1, C, and E. Vitamins are the main nutrients for maintaining the normal metabolism of human epithelial tissue, which can maintain normal metabolism of the cornea and improve the ability to see in dim light.

4. Shorten the time you wear contact lenses

It is recommended that contact lenses be worn for no more than 8 hours a day, alternating between wearing contact lenses and frame glasses.

5. Don’t use eye drops blindly

Yang Wanju, deputy chief physician of the ocular surface and corneal disease department of Aier Eye Hospital affiliated to Wuhan University, emphasized: The key to relieving eye fatigue is to use the eyes scientifically and rationally, and give the eyes enough rest time. If the eyes are uncomfortable, do not blindly use hormone eye drops, but use artificial tears under the guidance of a doctor. If the symptoms are not relieved for a long time or worsen, it is recommended to go to the hospital for a specialist examination to avoid delaying the condition.