Protecting your eyes from the environment
The biggest change in winter is the environment around you. As we already mentioned, dry and cold weather can be damaging and irritating, so you might be wondering how to protect eyes in cold weather. Here are a couple of things you can do while out and about to protect your eyes:
We know it might sound silly to wear sunglasses in the winter, but the sun’s UV rays can be just as powerful on a cold day as on a hot one. Especially if you’re moving through white snow, you need to protect your eyes from the harsh reflections of light, and the best way to do that is to don a pair of sunglasses.
With your eyes drying out faster than normal, we suggest wearing your contact lenses for less than the usual recommended 8 hours at a time. You can gauge your own timings, but just make sure to go easy on your cold eyes. If you feel that you have eyes sensitive to cold air, you can even forego the lenses altogether and save them for a slightly warmer or less windy day.
Prevention measures
It’s all well and good protecting your eyes from the light and the wind, but how can you prevent dry eyes in winter altogether? There are a few handy tricks that you can try to keep your eyes hydrated, healthy, and safe from the cold:
We know that it’s tempting to wack the thermostat up to maximum, especially as we get further and further into the freezing-cold winter. But beware- high temperatures can also dry out your eyes. When indoors, try to open up a window every now and then to circulate some fresh air and keep your eyes cool. You can also use a humidifier to keep the atmosphere hydrated.
In the winter months, we want to avoid any unnecessary eye strain, as your eyes will already be more sensitive than normal. Therefore, try to keep your home well-lit, so that you don’t have to strain to see your surroundings.
It might sound obvious, but the best tip for keeping your eyes hydrated is to hydrate yourself first! Make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day, and if your eyes need a little extra hydration, use some eye drops from a trusted company. If you have sore or itchy eyes in winter, you can also use warm compresses to give your eyes some relief.
Vitamin C is key for eye health, so make sure you’re eating plenty of fruits and vegetables! And while you’re at it, focus on foods with omega-3, like fish and seeds. Keeping a varied and healthy diet can help you get all the nutrients you need to keep eyes strong and healthy.
It’s always important to wash your hands frequently, especially when touching your eyes. In the wintertime, your eyes are more susceptible to irritation, so try to wash your hands as often as possible. And if you don’t want to risk touching your eyes with your bare hands, check out our sterile lens inserters, which can be very helpful for inserting a pair of lenses hands-free.
Now, more than ever, it’s important to keep your contact lenses clean and hydrated. You can do that with our Eye-Safe Solution, which can be used to clean the lenses and soak them in between uses. Remember to check your lenses more often than normal, to make sure that they don’t need any extra solution. Want to find the perfect cases and lens washers to help you out? Check out our accessories page for everything you might need!
It might be easier said than done, but one of the most important parts of eye care, all year round, is reducing screentime. Screens are incredibly straining for your eyes, and they produce rays of blue light. This is the same type of UV light that the sun produces, and it can be harmful to your eyes. You can find more information about this in our Blue Light guide below.
There are a couple of ways to reduce blue light damage. First of all, you can reduce your screentime entirely, with screen-free days and copious breaks. If your job requires you to stare at a screen all day long, we suggest using the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
You can also find special blue-light glasses to protect eyes from UV rays. And if you prefer wearing lenses, check out our Blue Safe Prescription Lenses. These clear lenses are designed to be blue light safe. This means that they help protect eyes from blue light, with their special blue safe technology.
Hopefully, this blog has given you an idea of the dangers of wintertime for your eyes, and how to avoid falling victim to them. If you want to find more information on looking after your eyes or on contact lens care, you can check out our handy Care Guides.
And until next time, remember to wrap up warm!
