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Spring brings welcomed leaves and flowers, but it also heralds the season of pollen and allergies. Higher temperatures may also mean increased smog or air pollution for some areas. In addition to environmental irritants, constant work on a computer and increased sunlight can affect your eyes too. The eye doctors at Wing Eyecare in Cincinnati, OH, offer the following tips to understand irritants and protect your eyes.

How Eyes Respond to Irritants

Eye Defenses

Your eyes have natural defenses for when they are irritated. Tears are the first way that the body tries to flush the eye of contaminants. The second line of defense is inflammation, or swelling and redness. Blood vessels in the eyes swell to facilitate the easier movement of antibodies that the body sends for healing.

Common Irritants 

The most prevalent irritants are dust and pollen. Your eyes will employ its healing responses, from tears to swelling, to combat contamination. Continual computer use may also cause blurred vision, watery eyes, and general eye strain. The sun is an ever-present threat to eye health, as UV rays can damage delicate tissues. Pollution can cause ongoing irritation and is the trickiest to resolve because it may persist unless the weather changes or you remove yourself from the area.

Ways to Soothe Irritation

eye doctor Avoid rubbing your eyes when they are irritated. Allergies are often accompanied by sneezing and other hay fever symptoms, which can be relieved with over-the-counter medications. But if your eyes are simply irritated by airborne particles, you may have to resort to other forms of eye care, such as eye washes, compresses, or drops. Irritation that lasts more than 2-3 days may necessitate a visit to your eye doctor.

If tired and watery eyes are a result of computer use, you may want to investigate computer glasses. Talk to your eye doctor about options. You should also take precautions against sun damage and wear sunglasses even on cloudy days.

The eyes are easily irritated by environmental factors and computer use, but the body is adept at self-healing. If you find your issues to be persistent, contact your eye doctor. Wing Eyecare, serving Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, has been providing eye exams and prescription glasses since 1914. Visit their website to view services and locations, or call (888) 274-9464 to schedule an appointment.

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