Ophthalmologist gave tips on protecting eyes from the March sun

Anastasia Kotelnikova, ophthalmologist at SM Clinic, PhD, told on Thursday, March 19, why you need to be especially attentive to eye health in the spring.

The specialist told Mail Health that during the winter, the eyes manage to adapt to the lack of light, and with the arrival of spring, the situation changes dramatically. Every day the brightness of the sun's rays is getting more powerful, and the level of the blue spectrum (UV rays) is higher. Various vision problems are associated with its effect on the retina of the eye.

Children are especially vulnerable to the spring sun. According to statistics, the lens of a child transmits almost 30% more UV radiation than that of an adult. Therefore, the risks of burns and damage to the cornea, clouding of the lens and the development of myopia in childhood are noticeably increased.

The specialist noted that the effect of ultraviolet radiation accumulation is associated with a number of problems: the development of dry eye syndrome, which often worries people working at a computer; the appearance of pterygium, an overgrowth of tissue on the cornea; the development of cataracts; damage to the central area of the retina and the risk of age—related macular degeneration (one of the main causes of vision loss).

To protect your eyes from the spring Sun, the specialist recommended wearing sunglasses with UV protection. 360.ru .

"The best option is glasses marked UV400 (they delay up to 99% of UV rays). It is better to buy them in special optics salons," she said.

Kotelnikova warned that even a brief glance at the bright Sun can damage the retina, so do not look directly at the Sun.

She recommended using moisturizing eye drops, which contain antioxidants that help reduce exposure to solar radiation and accelerate cell repair.

The ophthalmologist said that some drugs, for example, some antibiotics, hormonal contraceptives, drugs with estrogen, medications for the treatment of psoriasis with psoralen, can increase the sensitivity of the eyes to ultraviolet radiation.

In addition, the doctor said that car windows do not provide full UV protection. Fans of downhill skiing and snowboarding should also be careful, as snow enhances the reflection of UV rays, turning them into a blinding stream. In such conditions, skiers have an increased risk of developing "snow blindness." This is a corneal burn, which is often accompanied by redness and inflammation of the eyes, tearing and pain, she concluded.

Fundus: why hot weather negatively affects vision

Experts told us how to choose sunglasses and whether it is possible to swim in lenses.

In turn, Professor, Doctor of medical Sciences, pediatric ophthalmologist, ophthalmosurgeon Igor Aznauryan said that in March and April the atmosphere is most transparent due to the absence of dust, and the snow reflects up to 80% of ultraviolet radiation, creating a critical load on the organs of vision, reports RT.

On the eve of March 18, Anna Toltaeva, a doctor at the Vision ophthalmological center, spoke about the risks that the habit of sleeping in contact lenses can lead to.

According to the ophthalmologist, lenses that are not designed to sleep in them severely restrict oxygen access to the cornea and disrupt the normal exchange of tears under it. In addition, a person does not blink in a dream, so germs and dirt are easier to stay on the surface.

Earlier, in February, an ophthalmologist of the highest category, Tatiana Shilova, stated in an interview with NSN about the surge in myopia around the world.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.