Could Air Conditioning Be Causing Your Dry Eye?

 

Air conditioners may beget evaporative dry eyes by reducing moisture. The meibomian gland's capacity to cache canvases that help the gashes from sinking too snappily decreases as the temperature drops. The air conditioner is one of the main reasons for dry eyes.

When summer comes around, it means relaxing on the sand, wearing your favourite brace of sunglasses, and enjoying the great outside. Still, summer also brings the need to cool down with the heat swells.

While air exertion can help give comfort in those sweltering hot days, it may have some downsides you might not know about. Specifically, causing dry eyes.

Moment, we ’re going to take a look at the world of air conditioners and determine if your dry eye symptoms are being caused by what’s keeping you cool.

We're going to examine the world of air conditioners today to see if what keeps you cool is causing your dry eye symptoms.

Humidity & Your Home:

It's crucial to comprehend the connection between humidity, climate, and your home before discussing how air conditioners might cause dry eyes.

Humidity, put simply, is the quantity of water vapour that is retained in the air. Because hot air may contain more moisture than cool air, your home's humidity levels will fluctuate with the seasons.

These alterations can differ from house to house and also depend on the climate where you live. For instance, persons who reside in more humid climates like Ottawa or Toronto won't experience the same decline in humidity in chilly climates like Calgary.

However, the amount of humidity in your home will decrease as it becomes colder. This may result in a variety of health problems, including dry eyes.

How Can Your AC Cause Dry Eye?

Your air conditioner could harm your eyes in a number of different ways. Since your home's humidity decreases when it cools, as was already explained, your tear film's quality is impacted because your tears evaporate more quickly.

Your meibomian glands are impacted by the cool weather and low humidity. The oil (lipids) in your tear film that prevents evaporative dry eye is created by your meibomian glands. Comfortable contact lens usage is more challenging if the tears vanish too soon.

The similar result is produced by automotive air conditioners. If you direct air towards your face, dry eyes may get even worse. Your eyes will quickly become dry from the blowing air before you can blink properly to replenish your tear film.

Dry Eye Symptoms Caused By AC:

AC units can facilitate the development of evaporative dry eye. Evaporative dry eye can cause:

•          Redness
•         Blurred vision
•          Sensitivity to light
•          Irritation
•          Stinging sensations

Managing Dry Eye Caused By AC:

Adding A Humidifier & Monitoring Your Humidity:

Utilising a humidifier is a relatively easy way to restore some of the humidity that is lost when using air conditioning. Humidifiers are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and costs, and some of them may be installed inside your house so you always have the ideal humidity level.

It would be a good idea to buy a hygrometer for your home to make sure that your humidity levels are within the typical range for your environment. Hygrometers measure the humidity in your home's air and can inform you of whether to use or not use your humidifier. Most of the time, specialists advise 45% humidity levels to keep your eyes comfy.

Using Eye Drops:

Even when the reason of dry eye is unrelated to temperature, eye drops are frequently used to assist control the symptoms. If you need a place to start, read our blog post about the best drops to utilise.

Regulating & Maintaining Your AC:

You can manage your symptoms of dry eyes by regulating and maintaining your AC. Turn off the AC when not in use rather than keeping it running constantly. Turning off your air conditioner will allow moisture to return to the air, which will make it easier to maintain a healthy humidity level in your home.