How to Treat and Prevent Dry Eyes in Winter
While winter brings peaceful snow flurries and the opportunity to relax with a cup of hot chocolate next to a roaring fire, it can also bring dry-eye triggers like high winds and low humidity. Harsh winter weather can leave the eyes feeling itchy, tired and even sore. Visionworks is on a mission to simplify eye care. In addition to providing easy-to-schedule eye exams and a wide selection of stylish frames, we’re sharing how to treat and prevent dry eyes in winter—so you can get back to enjoying the season. Discover why we’re more susceptible to dry eyes in winter, the symptoms to look out for and five ways to find winter dry-eye relief.
Why Do We Get Dry Eyes in Winter?
You may have noticed that your dry-eye symptoms flare up more in winter than summer. So, why do we get dry eyes in winter? You are more likely to experience dry eyes during the winter and early spring because of windy weather conditions, the use of indoor heating systems and more allergy triggers. Eye glands produce tears throughout the day that hydrate and clean the eyes' surface as we blink. In the winter, our outdoor and indoor environments tend to have lower humidity, resulting in tears evaporating more quickly from the eyes' surfaces. External elements, like wind, decrease tear production and leave the eyes feeling dry. Many indoor heating systems also decrease interior humidity levels, producing the same result. In addition, winter and spring months tend to bring about more allergies, often treated with antihistamines. While antihistamines relieve allergy symptoms, they can leave eyes feeling dry.
Winter Dry-eye Symptoms
In order to treat winter dry eyes, you must first identify the symptoms. Here are the main winter dry-eye symptoms to look out for:
- Itchiness
- General irritation
- Urge to scratch or rub the eyes
- Throbbing or sore sensation
- Stinging or burning
- Blurry vision
- Light sensitivity
- Redness
Winter dry-eye symptoms may feel similar to digital eye strain—that feeling you get when you spend too much time staring at the computer. Additionally, contact lens wearers may experience worse dry-eye symptoms than glasses wearers because contacts can reduce oxygen flow to the eyes, increasing the dry sensation.
5 Ways to Achieve Winter Dry-eye Relief
If dry-eye is getting to you this season, don’t worry! The Visionworks team has five ways to achieve winter dry-eye relief:
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Use Artificial Tears
Using over-the-counter artificial tears is one of the easiest and quickest ways to restore moisture to the eyes and relieve dry-eye symptoms. You can apply most artificial tears multiple times a day. There are even contact-friendly artificial tears for contact lens wearers. However, pay attention to how often you must use artificial tears. If you feel you need them more than five or six times a day, there may be something else contributing to your dry-eye symptoms besides the weather. In this case, it’s best to check with your eye doctor.
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Give Your Eyes a Rest
While winter weather significantly contributes to dry-eye symptoms, cold winds and warm radiators are not the only things that trigger dry eyes. Assess your activity and ensure you’re giving your eyes the rest they need. If you’re spending a lot of time indoors on your computer or smartphone, consider limiting your screen time or taking more frequent breaks to reduce the symptoms of digital eye strain. Additionally, blue light glasses could help with digital eye strain symptoms. If you’re a contact lens wearer, consider switching to glasses during the winter to give your eyes a break—at least for a few hours a day.
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Protect Your Eyes Outdoors
Sunglasses do more than protect your eyes on sunny days at the beach. It’s important to wear sunglasses in the winter to shield your eyes from harsh winds, allergens and glare off snowy streets. Even if it's a dreary winter day, bring your sunglasses with you. You may be surprised how much they reduce your winter dry-eye symptoms!
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Increase Humidity
Using indoor heating systems can cause the air in your home to feel dry, worsening your winter dry-eye symptoms. Try using a humidifier in rooms where you spend the most time, like your living room, office and bedroom. Restoring humidity to the air can help soothe your dry-eye symptoms. For extra relief, apply moist, hot or cold compresses to your eyes for a few minutes every few hours.
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Remember: Prevention is Key
Our final—and possibly most important—tip for dry-eye relief is prevention! Don’t wait for your winter dry-eye symptoms to appear before taking action. When the weather cools off, start taking steps to combat dry-eye:
- Try reducing the time you run your indoor heater or use a humidifier to counteract the heater's drying effect.
- Stay away from dry-eye triggers, like the smoke from indoor fireplaces and bonfires.
- Incorporate the best foods for eye health into your diet, like omega-3 fatty acids, to help prevent dry eyes and improve overall health.
- Wear sunglasses when outside during the winter and goggles when participating in winter sports.
- Switch from contacts to glasses during the winter months—for at least part of the time.
Don’t Let Winter Dry Eye Get You Down
Winter weather can be tough on your eyes, but the Visionworks team is here to help. That means giving you the resources you need to protect your eyes all year round. If your winter dry-eye symptoms persist, schedule an eye exam with your doctor to discuss options. Don’t let winter dry eye get you down! Practice dry-eye prevention, get help with a treatment plan if needed and get outdoors and enjoy the season!
Information received through Visionworks® content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, medical recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your eye doctor, physician, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Claims regarding blue light efficiency are supported by manufacturer-provided test results.
