Winter Dry Eye: Dry Eye Symptoms & Treatment
As we advance into the winter season, we find leaves on the ground, shorter days, cold snowy air, and now…seasonal dry eyes! As the temperatures drop, you may find yourself battling with dry and itchy eyes. Many people experience extremely dry eyes in the winter months due to either the cold outside air or warm inside heat.
Dry eyes can be defined as a common disease that occurs when your tears aren't able to provide adequate lubrication for your eyes.You may experience pain, swelling, blurry vision, itchiness, burning, heavy eyelids, mucus secretion, teary eyes, or difficulty wearing contacts. All of this is occurring because your eyes are DRY!
Additionally, many of us are working (or learning) from home. This means spending extensive hours of our days staring at screens– computers, laptops, tablets, phones, and televisions. According to a number of studies such as those released by the American Academy of Ophthalmology, extended screen exposure has a direct link to dry eyes. This month, we wanted to provide you some solutions to battling with seasonal winter dry eyes:
Common Winter Dry Eye Symptoms:
Red eyes
Feeling like something is in your eye
Sensitivity to light
Stinging, itching, burning, tingling sensation in one or both eyes
Discomfort wearing eye contacts
Fatigued eyes
Blurry vision
Note: Symptoms often occur in both eyes, but of course this could be isolated to a singular eye.
How To Help Prevent Winter Dry Eye:
Protect your eyes when you are outdoors. Wear sunglasses, a hat, goggles or a visor.
Purchase a humidifier to keep things moist in the air in your home.
Drink lots of water! This encourages hydration.
Give your eyes breaks from your electronic devices.
Never sleep with makeup on.
Purchase dry eye drops, ointments & antibiotics
Make sure to maintain an annual visit to your eye doctor.
Caffeine can dry out your eyes, limit consumption.
Foods rich in vitamins A, C and E can be beneficial to maintaining eye health.
Avoid touching your eyes especially when you haven’t recently washed your hands.
Dry eyes can be a sign of different eye conditions ranging from mild to severe. Set up annual screenings with us!
At-Home Dry Eye Care
Rewetting Drops: Over-the-counter lubricating drops are the most common treatment of dry eyes.
Staying Hydrated: Dryness is simply dehydration of the eyes.
Using A Humidifier: The best location? The bedroom!
Warm Eye Compresses: Helps with generating and releasing tears.
Wearing Sunglasses: Prevents cold winds and reflecting sunlight from the snow.
Taking Screen Breaks: If you spend most of your day staring at screens, try stopping and viewing something off in the distance for at least 20 seconds.
Eliminating Dust: Try cleaning your home once a week.
Eye Ointments and Gels: Great for nighttime use
Important Note: While at-home dry-eye care can help reduce symptoms, your dry eye may require medical treatment in order to fully recover, and to avoid further damage to your eyes and vision. If symptoms do not improve, please contact an eye doctor right away.
Dry Eye Treatment
Antibiotics: Prescription only, for blepharitis and blocked oil glands
Medications like RESTASIS and Xiidra®: Great for moderate to severe dryness
Tear plugs: Maintain moisture in the eye. Quick insertion in the office and work great
If you or a loved one are impacted by seasonal dry eyes this winter, you are not alone. An estimated 20 Million Americans are affected by winter dry eyes every year. Of course, every case is different, and treatment varies depending on severity, so the best first step is to an appointment with our specialists who can take all factors into consideration and give you the best treatment possible.
Call us today at (248) 546-2133!