3 Tips for Keeping Your Eyes Healthy this Winter

The winter months can often be brutal. The bitter cold and unpredictable weather can not only take a toll on your life, but can also cause considerable damage to your eyes.

Here are some tips for keeping your eyes healthy and safe throughout the winter.

3 Tips For Keeping Your Eyes Healthy this Winter:

1. Keep your eyes moist. Spending time indoors with the heat turned up can cause your eyes to become dry and irritated. For patients with chronic dry eye, a condition that hinders the eyes’ ability to produce tears naturally, this is especially a concern. In order to prevent your eyes from becoming dry, keep your eyes lubricated by using artificial tears. This will keep the eyes healthy, comfortable, and most importantly, moisturized. Patients may also find it helpful to use a humidifier to prevent dryness in a room.
2. Wear sunglasses with Ultraviolet (UV) protection. Most people think that UV rays only pose a danger to the eyes during the summer. In reality, snowy conditions can double the impact of the sun’s rays! During the winter, UV rays enter your eyes from above and reflect off the snow on the ground. Because of this, it is extremely important that patients wear sunglasses that can provide the right level of protection. If you need a pair of prescription sunglasses with UV protection, schedule a routine eye exam. During an extremely bright day, it is also a good idea to wear a visor or hat if you will be outside for a long period of time. For an outdoor sport, like skiing, wear goggles to protect your eyes.
3. Make sure your children’s eyes are protected. As most parents know, children do not always want to wear protective goggles or sunglasses when they are playing outside during the winter. However, protecting a young child’s eyes is essential in preventing conditions such as photokeratitis (”snow blindness.”) Snow blindness is an often painful condition that occurs when eyes have been overexposed to UV rays. Parents should also remember to replace their child’s goggles and sunglasses every few years, in order to ensure the child’s eyes are sufficiently protected.

Dry Eye Treatment in Winchester

To learn how to keep your eyes healthy this winter , contact us today. Our offices are located in Winchester, serving Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland, and you can reach us directly at (540) 722-6200.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Source: http://www.seeclear.com/blog/dry-eye-carerestasis/3-tips-for-keeping-your-eyes-healthy-this-winter

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