Winter is harsh on your eyes, so it is important that you have the proper eye care routine for the change in season. If you’ve noticed that your eyes are irritated throughout the holidays, we’ve listed out a few tips to combat dry eye this winter.
Eye Care Tips to Hydrate Your Eyes
First, it’s important to understand that dry eye is a serious condition and can damage the eye’s surface if it is not treated on a long-term basis. Keeping up with your eye care is extremely important, no matter the season.
Keep your contact lenses clean—Wearing contact lenses can dry out your eyes. Make sure to keep them clean, and if you use disposable lenses, ensure that you are wearing new lenses as directed. If your eyes still feel dry, try wearing eyeglasses for a few days to increase the moisture in your eyes.
Spend less time on the computer—Staring at the blue light of the computer, television, or phone screen can cause dry eye because you often do not blink enough times to lubricate your eyes. Make sure to take breaks and to look away from the computer every once in a while, no matter how much work you have to do. Since it can be hard to tear yourself away from the computer, television, or phone, you might want to try setting a timer to remind yourself to take a break.
Try eye drops—Sometimes all you need is the simple help of over-the-counter eye drops. Make sure to have some on hand so that you can hydrate your eyes during the low-humidity months of the winter.
Consult with your optometrist—If you’re concerned about your eyes, the best thing you can do is to talk to your optometrist about the problem. Schedule an appointment at Valley Eyecare Center to check on the state of your eyes.
To learn more about dry eye, or to schedule an appointment with one of our eye care specialists at Valley Eyecare Center, call (602) 955-2700, or visit our website.
