As wildfires burn across Manitoba and Saskatchewan the Canadian Ophthalmological Society is urging people to take care of their eyes. A recent survey conducted throughout Manitoba and Saskatchewan indicated a large amount of the population reports their eyes have been affected by extreme weather events such as wildfires in the past year.

Dr. David Plemel, an eye surgeon in London, Ontario and an assistant professor of ophthalmology at Western University says people should check the air quality index and stay indoors if they feel like their eyes are affected by the smoke. He says to make sure windows and doors are closed, with an air purifier running and if you have a Hepa filter to ensure it is working.

Further recommendations are to have artificial tears on hand and to opt for preservative-free artificial tears as some of the eye drops contain preservatives, which can themselves be an irritant for those with sensitive eyes and who need to use them more than four times a day.

As well, people who wear reusable contact lenses should make sure to remove them every day and use certified contact lens solution to clean them, and if the smoke continues to irritate your eyes, some may need to stop wearing them and put on their glasses until the air quality improves.