zaro

Is AC Good for Eyes?

Published in Eye Health & AC 2 mins read

No, air conditioning is not inherently good for your eyes. While AC provides comfort by cooling the air, it can negatively impact eye health by decreasing humidity levels. This reduced humidity leads to faster tear evaporation, causing or worsening dry eye symptoms like irritation, itchiness, and redness.

How AC Affects Your Eyes

  • Reduced Humidity: Air conditioners significantly lower humidity, creating a drier environment that accelerates tear evaporation. This is a primary reason why AC can worsen dry eye conditions. [Source: Air conditioning can worsen dry eye symptoms, even though it helps with summer heat. Air conditioning reduces humidity levels, leading to a drier environment that can cause your tears to evaporate more rapidly. 30-Jun-2024]

  • Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: The lower temperatures produced by AC can impair the Meibomian glands' ability to secrete the necessary oils that lubricate the eyes. This further contributes to dry eye. [Source: Office AC can make eyes dry, itchy and red: Here's what you need to do]

  • Increased Irritation and Itchiness: The resulting dryness irritates the eyes, leading to itching and redness. [Source: The lack of humidity in air-conditioned spaces can dry your eyes. This can make them irritated and itchy and may even make your vision blurry.]

  • Dry Eye Symptom Exacerbation: Many individuals report a significant improvement in their dry eye symptoms when away from air-conditioned environments. [Source: Reddit discussion on dry eyes and air conditioning]

Solutions for AC-Related Eye Dryness

  • Humidifier: Using a humidifier in air-conditioned rooms can help increase the humidity and alleviate dry eye symptoms. [Source: Will a humidifier treat dry eyes in an AC room?]

  • Artificial Tears: Applying over-the-counter artificial tears can lubricate the eyes and provide temporary relief. [Source: Visine A.C. Itchy Eye Relief Eye Drops]

While some eye drops offer temporary relief from AC-induced eye irritation, the underlying issue stems from the low humidity. Addressing the root cause with a humidifier or by adjusting the AC settings is crucial for long-term eye health.