Glasses for environmental conjunctivitis

In addition to the other hazards, smog can also affect eye health. In medicine, conjunctivitis caused by the environment is classified as a disease.

'Conjunctivitis caused by high concentrations of fine dust, typical of highly polluted areas, is a widespread problem'. Dr Alessandro Galan, director of the Ophthalmological Center at Padua's Sant'Antonio Hospital explained to Il Gazzettino, 'Those affected are primarily women over 40/45 years of age because age-linked hormonal changes put them at greater risk. In general, 9 out of 10 of the patients who complain of burning eyes are women. If the ailment is not linked to a particular lacrimation insufficiency, diet or problems of constitution, the explanation can usually be traced to exposure to polluted air. In fact environmental conjunctivitis is much less common in countries that are not highly industrialized'.

'Nowadays, smog-related conjunctivitis is to all effects a recognized disease' Galan underscored, 'and can be cured by staying away from heavy traffic, bathing the eyes frequently, and by wearing glasses'.