Tips to Manage Dry Eye in the Winter Cold

Winter means indoor heat, cold winds, and low humidity. The conditions that come with the cold weather can irritate your eyes and worsen dry eye symptoms. You are likely to experience a gritty sensation in your eyes and feel like you have something stuck in them due to the rate at which they lose moisture. People who have dry eyes are often very uncomfortable during winter. Fortunately, a few things can help manage the condition even with the drop in temperature. Read on to learn more.



Humidifiers



The cold in winter necessitates heating your home or office to ensure you remain comfortable. However, the heating sources cause the air indoors to be dry. While you should not stay in a cold house, you can manage your dry eyes with indoor humidifiers to put moisture in the air indoors.


Ensure you keep your humidifiers clean to prevent bacteria buildup that can increase the risk of illness, eye irritation, and infections. Ensure you also place heated humidifiers at a safe distance to avoid burning or injuring your little ones.



Artificial Tears



Artificial tears are beneficial for people suffering from dry eyes. They help restore moisture in the eyes to ensure you remain comfortable. Ensure you keep your eyes constantly moist during winter by having artificial tears everywhere. However, you may need to visit your eye specialist for an alternative prescription treatment if you use artificial tears over six times daily.



Warm Compresses



Dry eyes can cause irritation and redness. The application of a warm compress can help relieve such uncomfortable symptoms. You can do it in your home by soaking a washcloth in hot water, squeezing it, and applying it over your closed eyes for about 10 minutes. Doing so will help give you temporary relief.



Hydrate 



Drinking plenty of water during the cold season can be a struggle. But to help your eyes and membranes remain moist, you have to hydrate. Drink at least eight glasses of water and plenty of fluids during the cold season. 



Limit Screen Time 



Spending a lot of time using your digital devices increases dry eyes. You are more likely to use your tablet, computer, and phone often if you get restricted to staying indoors due to the cold weather outdoors. Take regular breaks to blink and rest your eyes. Blinking distributes a tear film across your eye surface to lubricate and moisten it.



Avoid Sitting Directly Infront of Heating Sources 



The urge to sit in front of heating sources can be irresistible during winter. However, you can still benefit from the heat by directing it to your body, not the face. Try facing away but still use the heat to avoid drying up your eyes.



Visit Your Eye Doctor 



Sometimes, people suffering from dry eyes may not get relief during winter after applying all the tips mentioned above. You may benefit from visiting an eye doctor if this happens to you. Severe cases of the condition can occur due to underlying causes that may hinder your eyes from producing adequate or quality tears to lubricate and moisturize their surface. 


Your eye specialist can examine you to determine the cause of the problem. Doing so will help them address the issue to help relieve your dry eyes.



For more about managing dry eye in winter, visit Atlanta Eye Group at our offices in Alpharetta, Atlanta, and Kennesaw, Georgia. Call (772) 272-9470 to book an appointment today.

rats3898 none 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Optometrist # # # 2860 Cumberland Mall SE, Suite 1440
Atlanta, GA 30339 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Atlanta+Eye+Group/@33.880667,-84.469788,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xe83d5328c49ea1ca!8m2!3d33.8806673!4d-84.469788?hl=en-US https://www.lenscrafters.com/ScheduleExamView?catalogId=11651&clearExams=1&langId=-1&storeNumber=0638&storeId=10851&cid=Yext_PagesSchedule_Now_LCOD0638 https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJtVONdBAR9YgRyqGexChTPeg 3393 Peachtree Road NE #B128
Atlanta, GA 30326 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Atlanta+Eye+Group/@33.847235,-84.3647957,17z/data=!3m2!4b1!5s0x88f505f87f2c986d:0x29518e244e5c8f10!4m6!3m5!1s0x88f505571c53615d:0x53f67f8561eb8cfc!8m2!3d33.847235!4d-84.3622154!16s%2Fg%2F11dzdchnp1?hl=en https://www.lenscrafters.com/ScheduleExamView?catalogId=11651&clearExams=1&langId=-1&storeNumber=0252&storeId=10851&cid=Yext_PagesSchedule_Now_LCOD0252 https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJXWFTHFcF9YgR_IzrYYV_9lM 400 Ernest Barrett Parkway, Suite 617
Kennesaw, GA 30144 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Atlanta+Eye+Group/@34.018025,-84.563789,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x4ee1b066f76a97ba!8m2!3d34.0180253!4d-84.5637886?hl=en-US https://www.lenscrafters.com/ScheduleExamView?catalogId=11651&clearExams=1&langId=-1&storeNumber=0256&storeId=10851&cid=Yext_PagesSchedule_Now_LCOD0256 https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJT9qzgZAV9YgRupdq92aw4U4 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Rd. Suite 1280
Atlanta, GA 30346 https://www.google.com/maps/place/Atlanta+Eye+Group/@33.9230607,-84.3407601,15z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0xd15fc7720d7f6740!8m2!3d33.9230607!4d-84.3407601 https://www.lenscrafters.com/ScheduleExamView?catalogId=11651&clearExams=1&langId=-1&storeNumber=0156&storeId=10851&cid=Yext_PagesSchedule_Now_LCOD0156 https://search.google.com/local/writereview?placeid=ChIJiSZb4EQJ9YgRQGd_DXLHX9E 4832 Briarcliff Rd NE, Suite 1
Atlanta, GA 30345 https://g.page/r/CbPu0fSsZMBIEAI/review https://www.lenscrafters.com/ScheduleExamView?catalogId=11651&clearExams=1&langId=-1&storeNumber=0226&storeId=10851&cid=Yext_PagesSchedule_Now_LCOD0226 https://g.page/r/CbPu0fSsZMBIEBE/review/