We’ve worked with Rebecca from our local Primary Eyecare Services on some top tips for winter eye health.
As temperatures plummet and the days get shorter, it’s important to ensure your look after your eye health.
Keep Moisture in
Cold winter winds and central heating can play havoc with your eyes leaving them feeling dry, gritty, and sore – especially at the end of the day when symptoms are often at their worst.
Working at your computer in a heated environment can cause your eyes to become dry, scratch and irritated. Eye drops help keep your eyes moist and reduce irritation.
You can also try to minimise dry eyes by reducing the setting on your central heating, protecting your eyes from the wind and avoiding car heaters, or any heaters blowing hot air, particularly at face level.
Remember to keep yourself hydrated, and you may also want to run a humidifier in your home to improve the quality of your indoor air.
Don’t forget your sunglasses
Winter skies can seem dark and gloomy, but snowfall, ice and the sun sitting lower in the sky can create many reflective surfaces that can dramatically increase the amount of bright light which make it important to keep your eyes protected from harmful UV rays and glare.
Some people develop new light sensitivity during winter due to a condition known as snow blindness (photokeratitis), where the UV glare from snow, water or other bright surfaces can cause the cornea to become inflamed.
Protect your eyes with polarised sunglasses when going outdoors for long periods of time and try to keep a pair in your car for when the light is low to avoid reduced visibility when the light is low.
Take a break from digital devices
With more time spent indoors during the winter season we tend to use our digital devices a whole lot more. Lots of people spend most of their workday staring at a computer screen and when you add this together with catching up on social media, gaming or watching tv in the evening it can take its toll on our eyes.
Looking at electronics for an extended period of time causes us to blink less. This in turn keeps our eyes from producing tears, which can cause pain and redness.
Practice the 20-20-20 rule, where every 20 minutes you look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This can help reduce digital eye strain and actually keep your vision from deteriorating.
Dry eye drops can also help you.
Make Smoking History
Stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do for your health – including your eyes – and the benefits start sooner than you might think. It’s also proven to boost mental health and wellbeing by relieving stress, anxiety, and depression. And it’s good for your pocket too! By stopping smoking you could save hundreds of pounds each month. Visit Make Smoking History for more information.
Concerned about your eye health
Visit your local optometry practice if you have any concerns about your eye health.
The Greater Manchester Urgent Eyecare Service can help if you have any of the following problems – avoiding a trip to A&E or your GP!
- A red or painful eye
- Something in your eye that won’t come out
- A sudden change in vision
- Flashes or things floating across your eyes (not provided by all opticians)
Find a service – opticians including urgent eye problems
