When the temperature drops, it’s essential to adjust your eye care routine. Dry heat, UV light, and outdoor activities can increase certain risks. As a result, you need to make sure you care for your eyes correctly.
Luckily, it’s easy to adjust your routine to account for cold weather. If you want to make sure your eyes stay safe and healthy, here’s what you need to know.
Dealing with Dry Heat
When you turn on your home or workplace’s heaters during the winter, the air gets drier. Not only can the reduced humidity lead to dry skin, but it can also dry out your eyes, making them itchy and uncomfortable.
One of the simplest ways to counteract the dryness is with a humidifier. This adds moisture back into the air, which can make your eyes feel more comfortable. Eye drops are also beneficial for quick infusions of moisture.
If you wear contact lenses, make sure you select eye drops made for contact lens wearers. If you’re still struggling with dry eyes after that, consider making an appointment with your eye doctor. They may switch you to a different brand that uses a material that better combats dryness.
Blocking Reflective UV Light
Many people overlook the power of the sun during the winter, mainly because the temperature is lower. However, harmful UV rays do still exist, and they can bounce off of material like snow. In fact, UV light is more dangerous in snowy conditions because of snow’s reflective qualities.
Usually, your best defense against UV light is a pair of sunglasses with lenses designed to block UVA and UVB rays. That limits the amount of UV light that actually reaches your eye, making it less likely that your eyes will be harmed.
Contact lens wearers can also choose a brand with UV blocking abilities. This gives you an additional layer of protection against UV rays that aren’t blocked by sunglasses.
Protecting Eyes During Activities
Winter activities like skiing, ice skating, and snowball fights can be great options for getting exercise during the winter. However, while participating, your eyes could be at risk.
Falls in the snow, snowballs hitting your face, and ice particles created by skating could harm your eyes. If you want to make sure that debris can’t damage your eyes, eye protection is a must. Choose options that won’t fog and that are designed for the activity, ensuring they won’t fall off while you’re having fun.
Ultimately, just a few small changes to your eye care routine can make a big difference. It ensures your eyes stay safe, allowing you to avoid damage caused by dryness, UV light, or debris.
Are You Overdue for an Eye Exam?
At ECVA, our staff works diligently to care for patients’ eyes and will help you choose approaches that can keep your eyes healthy all year-long. Schedule an appointment at your closest ECVA clinic today.
