Though wildfire smoke is known to cause problems for your respiratory health, it may be just as damaging to your eyes.

For Mustafa Saleh, a patient at Mission Eye Care in Calgary who suffers from seasonal ocular allergies, this summer’s smoky conditions have made his symptoms uniquely tough to fight.

“(Eye) Redness is showing up a lot more. In previous years, I could get by with using artificial tears two or three times a day,” he said.

“Now, I’m having to use them closer to six times a day.”

Dr. Sheila Morrison, a representative of the Alberta Association of Optometrists, said that Saleh’s experience is far from uncommon or unexpected.

“If the air isn’t healthy for your lungs, it’s probably not healthy for your eyes either,” she told LWC.

Smoke particles and gases irritate the surface of an individual’s eye, typically resulting in dryness, burning, redness, watering and in some cases blurry vision, according to Morrison.

“We’re already dealing with a population and an environment that has a noted increase or exceptionally difficult allergy season. Adding the smoke from wildfires to that irritation really does tip the scales for many patients.”

Tough year for allergies, irritation

This year’s delayed and extra-wet spring was perfect for Calgary’s plants. For its human residents? Not so much.

Last month, Calgary experienced 104.2 mm of rain. Daniel Coats, the director of Aerobiology Research Laboratories, said Calgary’s spring created the perfect environment for grass, weeds and spores to release allergens.

Coats said that on top of being already harmful on its own, wildfire smoke has a negative effect on existing allergens.

“Smoke can actually break down pollen, and that’s bad for allergy sufferers,” he said.

“What that does is when it breaks it down, it actually allows it to get deeper into your lungs and have more severe allergic reactions.”

A statement from IQAir’s North America CEO, Glory Dolphin Hammes, agreed that anyone with pre-existing allergic conditions can experience an increased level of symptoms. 

“Wildfire smoke and seasonal allergies can be a particularly difficult combination because they affect the body in different ways but contribute to overlapping inflammation and irritation,” she said.

“When people are exposed to both pollen and smoke, they may experience a greater overall burden of symptoms.”

When to see an eye doctor

Morrison said that seeking professional help as soon as severe symptoms are noticed is key, noting that optometrists would rather help patients before long-term damage is caused. 

“If there was a small problem starting, we could abort it through advice and therapies before the problem becomes larger,” she said. 

As air quality improves, eye irritation should also improve. Morrison said that those who experience persistent redness, pain, light sensitivity or vision changes should seek professional care.

According to Morrison, people with pre-existing eye allergies and people who use contact lenses are at greater risk of damage.

“Smoke and allergens can make contact lenses feel less comfortable,” she said.

“If the eyes become uncomfortable, it’s recommended to switch to glasses and use preservative-free eye drops.”

Cleaning eyes and eyebrows at the end of each day is another way to make things easier on your nervous system, Morrison said.

“If we walk through the world picking up particles from allergens or wildfire smoke and we don’t remove those irritants, we go to sleep lying in those irritants,” she said.

“Rinsing them off before bedtime is a strategy to decrease the overall impact or inflammation that happens subsequent to that exposure.”

Staying inside, wearing sunglasses, using lubricating eye drops and avoiding rubbing your eyes will also help.