How Environmental Factors Affect Your Eyesight

How the Environment Affects Your Eyes

Many of us may overlook the damage the environment causes to our eyes. For instance, you may go outside when it’s windy and ignore the dust that gets into your eyes. Our optometrist at Vision Professionals of Leawood in Leawood, KS, can provide you with an eye exam and advice about avoiding environmental toxins to help your eyes stay healthy and preserve your vision. Learn more about how the environment can affect your ocular health below:

Factors That Negatively Impact Your Vision

A variety of irritants exist in the environment that can affect your vision. Some of these irritants may also cause may also cause graininess or grittiness. Some environmental factors can damage your eyes include:

  • Pollution: Being exposed to air pollution constantly can cause blurred vision, watery eyes, ocular burns, or dry eye
  • UV rays: Excessive exposure to UV radiation can damage the retina or cornea of the eye. This can even lead to conditions that cause vision loss, such as macular degeneration and cataracts
  • Smoke: Smoke, especially from forest fires, can cause irritation, inflammation, and blurry vision. Along with that, first-hand and second-hand cigarette smoke increases a person's risk of developing serious conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration
  • Particles: Airborne particles, such as dust, lead to ocular itching, blurry vision, and harm the cornea. If you are experiencing eye pain, you may have an eye injury or corneal abrasion

How to Prevent Your Eyes from Environmental Damage 

While you can't avoid every pollutant and dust particle in the environment, there are ways to prevent eye damage. For instance, if you're exposed to second-hand smoke at home, you can go outdoors more often. You can also protect your eyes from pollution by wearing glasses, staying hydrated, and getting regular eye exams.

Contact us for Treatment Today!

If you are expecting itching or watery eyes due to environmental factors, let our team at Vision Professionals of Leawood in Leawood, KS, help. Contact us at (913) 239-9446 to learn about our treatment options and to schedule your appointment.

How the Environment Affects Your Eyes

Many of us may overlook the damage the environment causes to our eyes. For instance, you may go outside when it’s windy and ignore the dust that gets into your eyes. Our optometrist at Vision Professionals of Leawood in Leawood, KS, can provide you with an eye exam and advice about avoiding environmental toxins to help your eyes stay healthy and preserve your vision. Learn more about how the environment can affect your ocular health below:

Factors That Negatively Impact Your Vision

A variety of irritants exist in the environment that can affect your vision. Some of these irritants may also cause may also cause graininess or grittiness. Some environmental factors can damage your eyes include:

  • Pollution: Being exposed to air pollution constantly can cause blurred vision, watery eyes, ocular burns, or dry eye
  • UV rays: Excessive exposure to UV radiation can damage the retina or cornea of the eye. This can even lead to conditions that cause vision loss, such as macular degeneration and cataracts
  • Smoke: Smoke, especially from forest fires, can cause irritation, inflammation, and blurry vision. Along with that, first-hand and second-hand cigarette smoke increases a person's risk of developing serious conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration
  • Particles: Airborne particles, such as dust, lead to ocular itching, blurry vision, and harm the cornea. If you are experiencing eye pain, you may have an eye injury or corneal abrasion

How to Prevent Your Eyes from Environmental Damage 

While you can't avoid every pollutant and dust particle in the environment, there are ways to prevent eye damage. For instance, if you're exposed to second-hand smoke at home, you can go outdoors more often. You can also protect your eyes from pollution by wearing glasses, staying hydrated, and getting regular eye exams.

Contact us for Treatment Today!

If you are expecting itching or watery eyes due to environmental factors, let our team at Vision Professionals of Leawood in Leawood, KS, help. Contact us at (913) 239-9446 to learn about our treatment options and to schedule your appointment.

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