ISLAMABAD  -  Al-Shifa Trust (AST) on Tuesday urged the people to protect their eyes from the adverse effects of smog that has engulfed a large part of the country. 

Talking to the media, Senior Consultant at AST Prof. Dr Inam ul Haq said that life has become challenging due to rampantly rising air pollution in many cities, and people’s health has taken a significant hit. “We have some of the most polluted cities in the world, where millions of people live and the pollution levels have hit records this month, affecting many,” he added. Prof Inam said that air pollutants present in smog adversely affect health, especially the eyes, adding dust and harmful particulate matter enter the eyes, causing unclear vision, redness, burning sensation, dry eyes, and itching. He said everyone was exposed to air pollutants as they stepped out of their homes or offices, and it’s virtually impossible to be completely protected. 

However, there were certain practices a person can adopt to prevent these symptoms as much as possible, he added.  Prof. Dr Inam ul Haq said the public should minimize exposure by staying inside, avoiding walking or riding a bike along busy streets, and refraining from going to industrialized areas unless necessary. 

Motorists should close their car windows during peak traffic hours and avoid leaving home or the office between noon and 4 pm, as the air quality was lowest at this time.  He strongly recommended wearing oversized sunglasses with adequate UV protection for better eye protection.  Inam said people should avoid rubbing their eyes in case pollutants get in the eye while eyes should be washed thoroughly with cold water or lubricating eye drops for relief. 

He added that everyone should wash their eyes with cold water when back from outdoors as a preventive measure.  He advised buying a home air filter to block out particulate matter, and placing cucumbers on the eyes can help reduce inflammation. He also recommended using lubricating eye drops, which specialists recommended as part of a daily eye care routine. 

Prof. Dr. Inam ul Haq suggested that carrots, green leafy vegetables, almonds, walnuts, and fish, were perfect for the eyes. Frequent blinking and moistening eyes using lubricating eye drops were good ways to relieve the symptoms, but, he said, visiting an eye specialist was recommended if infections and allergies prolong the symptoms. He said that urgent and more extraordinary efforts were needed to reduce air pollution, as over 11 million children under five years of age were exposed to smog in the worst-affected districts of Punjab. 

The air quality was severely declining in many parts of the country which require urgent attention.