Ever noticed that your dry eyes seem worse in the winter? It’s not your imagination! There are lots of reasons why your dry eye is more irritating in the winter. Keep reading for 4 reasons, and learn how to treat it!
Direct Heat Sources
Even in Georgia, the weather outside can be frightful. Sure, we aren’t walking around in a winter wonderland, but it’s definitely colder this time of year!
Colder weather outside means you may have a fireplace, heat pumps, or wood stove turned on inside.
As much as you may love the warmth, stay away from direct heat sources. Direct heat sources like fireplaces or heat pumps can actually make your dry eye worse!
This is due to warmer air being circulated. Yes, you can enjoy the heat, but make sure it’s not blowing directly on you inside. Your dry eyes will thank you!
Dry Winter Air Outside
It’s dry inside, and dry outside! It can often seem like your eyes can’t catch a break during the winter. If cold and dry air outside is bothering you, keep sunglasses on you.
Sunglasses, especially the ones that block UV rays, can keep dry air out of your eyes. With dry eye, your eyes may feel scratchy, irritated, or water uncontrollably. Wearing sunglasses can help your eyes stay lubricated, making them less likely to dry out.
Buy A Humidifier To Add Moisture To The Air
If you’ve avoided direct heat sources inside, you may want to invest in a humidifier. During the winter, humidifiers are great because they add much-needed water to the air.
Heat sources often dry out the air around them, making anyone with dry eye miserable. Humidifiers replace the missing water in the air, helping your eyes stay lubricated.
If you find yourself waking up in the morning with dry or itchy eyes, a humidifier should be in the bedroom as well. Having more than one humidifier can be the difference between misery and happy eyes.
Give Your Contacts A Break
Many people that wear contacts on a regular basis complain that their eyes are dry. If you’re one of them, it’s time to give your contacts a break.
When wearing contacts, your eyes will be less moisturized. Part of this is due to contact with your eye when putting the lens in, especially if it’s on a daily basis. But contact lenses combined with cold and drying winter air can spell bad news for your eyes.
On days when you’re hanging out at home and don’t need to wear contacts, switch to your glasses. This will help your eyes re-adjust to the air without any barriers. Letting your eyes breathe every once in a while is never a bad thing!
My Eyes Are Still Dry! Now What?
Look, if you’re still dealing with the effects of dry eye after trying these tips, it might be time to see a doctor. Dry eye is one of the most common eye conditions. It affects millions of people each year!
If you’re ready to treat your dry eye, contact Takle Eye Group in Griffin or Locust Grove, GA today! Schedule a dry eye consultation with our team and get the results you’ve been looking for.
