10 Tips To Protect Your Eyes This Winter

What is it about winter that affects my eye health?

1. Dry Outdoor Air

Outdoor air during winter holds a lot less humidity compared with the rest of the year. This dry air can be dehydrating for our eyes, as well as skin.

Eyes need moisture to stay healthy, and dehydration can lead to irritation.

2. Warm Indoor Air

Along with the dry outdoor air, warm, dry indoor air from heaters can also cause dehydration to the eyes; sometimes even more, as recirculated air can contain other dehydrating elements like bacteria or skin flora.

3. Increased screen time

During winter, you may find that your screen time increases as you spend more time indoors. Looking at monitors for long periods of time can tire the eyes, and also lead to less blinking, which is a contributing factor to dry and irritated eyes.

10 Eye Care Tips For Winter

1. Regulate the temperature indoors

Heaters set to high temperatures can cause or aggravate existing dry eyes issues in winter. We recommend setting your heater to a consistent mild setting, to ensure your eyes retain as much moisture as possible.

2. Remember to blink!

Activities such as reading or using a digital device often slow down our blinking; it’s something that simply happens when we are visually focused on something. To offset the effects of reduced blinking (dry or irritated eyes), make an effort to blink more during these activities, to ensure the eye has enough lubrication.

3. Try a humidifier

It’s not possible to simply not use a heater during winter – Melbourne is too cold for that! But you might want to consider using a humidifier. Not only will it increase moisture in your indoor air, but it will also improve the quality of that air.

4. Artificial tears can help

If dry eyes continue to bother you, book an appointment with us for a check-up. We may recommend artificial tears to assist by adding moisture to the eye.

5. Add cold-water fish to your diet

Coldwater fish includes tuna, mackerel and halibut. These fish contain omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are known to help your eyes retain moisture. Adding these into your diet during winter can aid in protection against dry eyes.

6. Keep your eyes hydrated

We all know we need to drink eight glasses of water a day. But did you know this also impacts your eyes? By keeping your body hydrated you help your eyes stay hydrated during the winter season.

7. Wear sunglasses with high UV protection

Though clouds may block out the sun during winter, UV rays still filter through. Do you notice how often on a cloudy day you still experience a glare?

When practical we recommend wearing sunglasses when outdoors, ensuring they are sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection. If you’re in-store looking for a new pair of sunnies, ask about UV protection.

8. Don’t forget to protect your eyes when visiting the snow 

High-speed winds and UV reflection off the snow means that a pair of quality goggles is essential, whether you’re skiing, snowboarding or just playing around. Look out for ones with built-in UV protection.

9. Keep your eyes clean

Some everyday tips to keep your eyes clean include:

– washing your face at the end of every day, including removing makeup
– not sharing makeup brushes or applicators, and making sure to clean these and not use expired make-up
– keeping your hands away. Avoid rubbing your eyes, as this can lead to the transfer of bacteria.

10. Use the 20-20-20 rule while on screens

Incorporate the 20-20-20 rule into your daily routine when spending time on digital devices, especially if you work an office job where you’re on a computer 9-5.

1. Take a break every 20 minutes
2. Find an object 20 feet away
3. Look at it for 20 seconds

For more eye care tips, check out our post on Eyesight Tips For Extended Zoom Meetings