With the temperature just outside my office at 109 degrees Farenheit today, it’s time to review eye health in fire season. Hopefully, we won’t see any more Southern California wildfires this year, and hopefully if we do the response will be coordinated and rapid. But it’s better to be prepared and not have the disaster than to be unprepared, so here goes. The high temperatures and low humidity we are facing puts San Diego at risk for fires. Smoke in the air in fire season causes ocular burning and irritation, and toxic chemicals can seep into contact lenses. To nurse your eyes through fire season, avoid contact lenes, and use lubricating artificial tear drops without preservatives to wash out the offending toxins and soothe the eyes. One of my favorites is Thera Tears http://www.theratears.com/, but there are many excellent formulations on the market. Every fire season, LASIK San Diego inquiries go up at our office because people’s eyes are burning from the smoke, and wearing contact lenses becomes too uncomfortable. Not wanting to suffer another year with contact lenses and smoke in the air, people come in for LASIK as soon as the smoke has cleared. I feel good about doing their LASIK, knowing that I have sent them out better and safer than before.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s website has information on fire prevention and fire maps in case of fire: http://www.fire.ca.gov/index.php
