Healthier Eyes In The Winter Months

Looking out for your eye health is important year-round, but the winter especially wreaks havoc on your vision. Use these tips to keep your eyesight functioning at its best this winter.

Dry Eyes

The dry, winter air brings dry, winter eyes. Since cooler air holds less moisture than warmer air, the November through March months see a lot more dry, itchy, red eyes.

It’s important to your eyes’ health to keep them hydrated, so be sure to drink plenty of water and use eye drops when necessary. You can even help by moving away from roaring fireplaces or portable heaters.

Increased Brightness

Next to bikinis and Mai Tais, sunglasses are the ultimate summer accessory. But don’t pack them away just because the seasons change. Your eyes can be exposed to just as much—if not more—bright light in the winter months.

When the ground is covered with a layer of snow and ice, sunlight reflects off the surface and right into your vision. Since extreme exposure to light can damage your eyes, keep those sunglasses handy!

Infections Via The Eyes

It’s no secret that the common cold and influenza are more prevalent in the winter months. Thanks to more time spent near each other in the warm indoors and less mucus in our bodies to trap viruses, you’re likely to get at least a mild cold by February.

Since this is the time for viruses to thrive, they’ll be passed around via doorknobs, handshakes and eye rubs. This is why it’s important to keep washing your hands and refrain from touching your eyes during the winter (and ideally year-round).

Shooting Your Eye Out

Yes, we all wake up on Christmas morning hoping to find a long, thin wrapped box housing a brand new Red Ryder BB gun—the ultimate present for anyone with a trigger finger and a wild imagination.

Just be sure to watch out for deflected BBs. Oh, and rogue icicles, too.