Winter is Hard on Your Eyes: Here's Why

‘Tis the season for hot chocolate, family, gift giving and plenty of cheer. Yet, despite the merriment, one not-so-jolly eye problem tends to pop up as well. When the cooler months arrive, so do symptoms like scratchy, itchy and watery eyes. This common, yet frustrating, condition is known as dry eye. So, why are your eyes suddenly so dry NOW?

1)        Turning up the Heat

As the temperatures start to fall and people begin breaking out their parkas and mittens, they also start turning up the heat in their homes. From space heaters to wood-burning fireplaces, certain heat sources can really dry out the air indoors, leading to dry eye symptoms. Using a humidifier or trying to ensure that heat isn’t blowing directly on your eyes can help reduce your eye discomfort, while still keeping your house nice and cozy.

2)         Hibernating for the Winter

As the weather gets colder and snowier, people may be spending more time indoors. While this certainly allows more time for enjoyable indoor winter activities like watching holiday movies, it can also increase that dry, irritated eye sensation. Spending too much time reading or looking at screens reduces how often you blink, which can lead to dryer eyes. Taking eye breaks to look far away, remembering to blink, and using lubricating drops can help keep your eyes more comfortable when you’re cooped up at home.

3)        Dusting off the Decorations

With snow days keeping you stuck inside, you may have already started breaking out the holiday decorations from the back of the closet (or maybe you set up your tree months ago!). Dusty places can also cause irritated, dry eyes. Often good lubricating drops can help alleviate some of that ocular irritation but if they are not helping, call your optometrist to see if allergy drops may be a potential option to help with symptoms as well.

4)        Hectic Holiday Parties

As the holidays approach, there seem to be more and more activities and fewer days to cram it all in. From office parties to visiting family and friends, there are more excuses than ever to break out your nicest holiday outfits (or ugliest Christmas sweaters). Be sure not to get so wrapped up in holiday cheer that you neglect your eye health!  Bad habits like overwearing contact lenses or sleeping in them can lead to higher risk of infection and irritated eyes. It might be worthwhile taking more contact lens breaks during the colder months, because contact lenses can make dry eyes feel even worse. Similarly, forgetting to take off your makeup can result in dry, sticky, irritated eyes. Be sure to stick to your regular makeup removal routine and practice self-care eye habits like warm compresses or lubricating drops to help keep your eyes holiday ready. If you think something is wrong with your eyes, call your optometrist as soon as possible. Many doctors have atypical holiday hours so please do not wait before booking an appointment.

Dry eye can get worse in the wintertime, but being sure to practice good dry eye habits can help keep them fresh throughout the holiday season. And if you ever aren’t sure about what might be going on with your eyes, give your optometrist a call as soon as possible!