Unfortunately, California has seen several wildfires break out over the past several years. Typically, the Golden State’s peak wildfire season runs from May through October, so the LASIK Orange County eye doctors recommend we all get prepared for it.
The wildfires in California are getting so severe that on August 17th, 2021, there were record-setting wildfires that destroyed 1.1 million acres of land in America’s most populous state.
Compared to the 2020 California wildfires, which were also extraordinary and had only burned around 850,000 acres by mid-August.
Not to mention the enormous cost and suffering these fires create each year, the LASIK surgeon Orange County says wildfire smoke can be irritating and harmful to your eyes, even if you live several miles from the blaze itself.
How Does Wildfire Smoke Affect Your Eyes?
Apart from the direct damage wildfires cause, they also cast many pollutants into the atmosphere. The ashfall and smoke from wildfires is a deadly combination of carbon dust and particles that harm the eyes and the respiratory system.
LASIK Orange County experts say irritation brought on by wildfire smoke can consist of the following symptoms:
Red eyes
Burning eyes
Itchy eyes
Watery eyes
Grittiness
Temporarily blurred vision
Aggravation of dry eyes and eye allergies
Extended exposure to smoke can irritate the eyes. Luckily, wildfire smoke usually doesn’t cause major or permanent vision issues.
How To Protect Your Eyes From Smoke?
When you visit LASIK Orange County clinics like Excel Laser Vision Institute to ask for LASIK eye surgery cost, ask the ophthalmologist for some advice for preventing and treating eye irritation caused by wildfire smoke.
Remain inside. Whenever you can, stay inside with the windows closed when outdoor air quality is poor.
Use an air purifier. When you’re inside, use an air purifier to lower the presence of eye irritants.
Wear glasses, not contacts. Please don’t wear your contact lenses, as they attract airborne particles from wildfire smoke.
Protect your eyes outside. If you are going to be outdoors, wear wrap-around goggles to lower exposure to wildfire smoke. If you don’t own wrap-around goggles, prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses can help block eye irritants.
Rinse your eyes. Wash away eye irritants with an over-the-counter saline rinse or artificial tears. If you’re using artificial tears more than four times a day, go with the preservative-free variety.
Give eye drops for relief a go. Try over-the-counter, itch-alleviating antihistamine eye drops if itchy eyes are bothering you.
Apply a compress. Use a cold compress on your closed eyes to help minimize itching.
Placing artificial tears in the refrigerator before use can add eye-cooling relief, based on facts from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). Also, AAO says that lying down with a cold compress over your eyes is soothing.
Moreover, Keep in mind that hardly visible ash and dust can stay in the air and irritate your eyes for about two weeks after visible smoke from wildfires has gone away.
Make sure to see your doctor if symptoms of eye irritation from wildfire smoke don’t disappear after the following advice above. It is recommended to schedule a comprehensive eye exam with an eye doctor.
