Wintertime Tips for Dry Eyes

If you’re among the millions of people who struggle with dry eyes, you know that winter presents some unique challenges, especially here in the Boston area. The freezing temperatures and drier air are enough to make even those with healthy eyes experience what it’s like to have dry eyes.

To keep your eyes well-lubricated and seeing clearly this winter, Dr. Curtis Frank and our team here at Vision and Ortho-K Center thought it would be timely to provide some tips to soothe dry eyes, whether you have the problem year-round or just seasonally.

Limit exposure

When the wind is howling and temperatures drop, this is a recipe for exacerbating dry eyes. When you head out, we urge you to shield your eyes as best you can, either with a hat with a visor or with glasses.

Stay humid

Winter robs the air of moisture, so using a humidifier at home is a great idea for adding more humidity back into the air. This is especially helpful when you’ve got the heat cranked up or the fireplace crackling, both of which can further deplete the air of moisture.

If you only have one humidifier, we suggest you move it with you as you go from home office or living room to your bedroom.

Check the direction of the heat

It feels great to warm up after being outside, but try and avoid having heat blow directly into your face, especially in the car. Instead, aim the vents downward or away from your face.

Clean your contacts frequently

If you wear contacts, it’s important to keep them clean at all times, but this is especially true if you have dry eyes. And, as we mentioned, winter can be blustery, which means debris is flying around more than usual.

Blink a lot

Since many of us are staying at home and staring at screens for work or school, it’s important to blink. Screen use causes many of us to blink less frequently, so we urge you to remember this fact and make an effort to blink more often.

Get professional help

This last tip is the most important — seek our help. We have extensive experience helping patients overcome the itchiness and irritation of dry eyes using a number of different treatments, including:

• Artificial tears
• Punctal occlusion (we block your tears from draining out)
• Restasis® eye drops, which encourage more tears and reduce inflammation

If you have any more questions about caring for dry eyes during the winter, please contact our office in Boston, Massachusetts, to set up an appointment.