Summer is the time of year when Taiwan’s fruit is at its most glorious. Market stalls piled high with luscious seasonal favorites are a sight to behold. But, ophthalmologists say, overindulge and your eyes may pay.
It’s high summer in Taiwan, a special time of year when sweet, refreshing fruits are in abundance. Juicy mangoes and succulent lychees are now at their best, and for many, the sight of them is too tempting to resist. Eye doctors say this is exactly why they’re seeing a 20-30% jump in patients.
But isn’t fruit supposed to be good for you? In moderation, yes. One ophthalmologist says about ten lychees or one mango a day shouldn’t do any harm. But go beyond that, and the result can be a nasty sty.
Doctors say that in the summer heat, our skin is already producing extra oil. This can accumulate and get trapped around the eyelids in particular. Sweet seasonal fruits like mangoes and lychees are what Chinese medicine practitioners call “hot, dry” fruits. And apparently, adding too much of these fruits into the mix is enough to tip things over the edge and lead to a sty.
People who are susceptible to sties to begin with, those with oily skin, and those who often stay up late are especially at risk. Doctors say that if you feel a sty coming on, you can open up clogged pores by placing a warm towel over the affected area.