After a hot, humid summer, you might enjoy the cooler days of fall and winter. However, with cooler weather also comes drier air. Humidity plummets in the winter, and that can leave your eyes feeling dry and irritated.
Preventing Dry Eyes in the Winter
Prevention is key when it comes to dry eyes. There are several steps you can take to help keep your eyes moisturized and irritation-free during the dry winter months.
Use a Humidifier: Low humidity is one of the leading causes of dry eyes in the winter. Forced air heating can really dry out the air in your home and most other indoor areas. An indoor humidifier can help restore some moisture back into the air and help combat dry eyes.
Don’t Crank Up the Heater: Keep your home as cool as comfortable to maintain a more manageable humidity range. While you shouldn’t put your health at risk, reducing your heater usage can help keep your eyes moisturized and prevent dry eyes.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water can help maintain the moisture in your eyes. Experts recommend drinking a half-ounce to an ounce of water for each pound you weigh.
Limit Caffeine Consumption: Caffeinated beverages are diuretics, meaning they remove water from your body. If you drink several cups of coffee or tea per day, consider cutting back.
Shield Your Eyes: Extreme wind, cold and direct heat can all dry out your eyes. Wearing eye protection, utilizing hats with visors and turning car vents towards your lower body can all help combat eye dryness and itchiness in the winter.
Remove Eye Makeup Before Bed: Mascara, eyeliner and other eye makeup products can dry out your eyes. Leaving them on overnight may only make the problem worse.
Treating Dry Eyes
For people with mild, seasonal dry eye symptoms, artificial tear eyedrops may be sufficient to provide relief. They're available over the counter, and you can find them in most drug stores.
For people with persistent dry eye symptoms, a comprehensive examination from your eye doctor may be in order. Several factors can lead to dry eye syndrome. Once properly diagnosed, your eye doctor can treat the underlying cause and not just the symptoms.
The Dry Eye Center for Excellence at North Florida Cataract Specialist and Vision Care is a leader in diagnosis and treatment of dry eye syndrome. Our specially trained staff help relieve patients’ dry eye pain every day. Contact us today at 352-373-4300 to schedule your dry eye consultation.