Corneacare Logo
  • CorneaCare Logo
  • Shop
    • Shop All
    • Eyelid Hygiene
    • Eye Vitamins
    • Eye Drops
    • Eyecare Bundles
  • Education
    • Dry Eye Disease
      • Dry Eye 101
      • Causes & Diagnosis
      • Lifestyle
      • Treatment
      • Why It Matters
    • Eye Health & Wellness
    • Eye Glossary
    • Take the Quiz
  • Community
  • App
  • Take the Quiz
  • Contact us
  • Login
  • My Account
Login
Cart Icon 0
Take the Quiz
  • Shop
  • Education
  • Our App
  • Take the Quiz
  • Shop
  • Education
  • Our App
  • Take the Quiz
  • Eye Health & Wellness

10 Ways to Protect Your Eyes in Winter

  • Last updated December 12, 2022

6 min read

Heather Cottrell
Written byHeather Cottrell
Jovi Boparai, MD
Reviewed by Jovi Boparai, MD
Heather Cottrell
Heather Cottrell

Bio

Since becoming a Certified Health Coach in 2005, researching and creating content to help people live longer, healthier lives is my passion. As a content creator and online marketing coach for health coaches, I spend most of my time working on screens. Keeping my eyes healthy is important not just to my work, but to my life!

Get to know me a little better!

Hobby: creating content
Food: is coffee a food? ;)
Superhero: Wonder Woman
Guilty pleasure: bingewatching my favorite shows
Secret power: learning online tech quickly

Training:

Undergraduate: Fordham University
Health and wellness training: Institute for Integrative Nutrition

Jovi Boparai, MD
Jovi Boparai, MDCo-founder & CEO of CorneaCarePhiladelphia, PA

Bio

Dry eye disease is tough! I get it. I have struggled with dry eyes for several years from contact lens use, and from spending countless hours looking at computer screens. In college, my dry eyes got so bad that I couldn’t wear contact lenses, because of a constant “foreign body sensation” when I had them in. I had to stop reading every 30 minutes because my eyes would start to burn and my vision would get blurry. I tried a plethora of treatments and nothing seemed to work. Dry eye disease was not only impacting my eyes, but also my emotional wellbeing. It was preventing me from enjoying life, and getting in the way of my professional training. I felt overwhelmed, frustrated and hopeless.

It was only when I realized that my dry eyes were linked to my lifestyle, environment and overall health did things start to make sense. I noticed that on days when I spent less time on the computer, my eyes felt better. My symptoms would flare when it was windy, or when there was low humidity. I knew that if I wanted to get ahead of my dry eyes, I needed to not only treat my eyes, but to also address my lifestyle. I started a consistent regimen of artificial tears and eyelid hygiene. I switched from monthly contact lenses to daily contact lenses. I started taking scheduled breaks from looking at a computer. I ate a healthier diet focused on anti-inflammatory/antioxidants foods, and I bought a humidifier for my room. In the beginning doing all this seemed impossible, but over time it became part of my usual routine. Not only did my eyes feel better, but I was overall healthier and happier! Turns out what is good for my eyes, was also good for my mind and body. I carried this lesson with me as I started my career to become an ophthalmologist and ophthalmic surgeon.

Because of my personal journey and professional training, I believe dry eye treatment starts by listening to and empowering the patient. I listen for the struggles and cue in on their strengths, while picking up on their lifestyle. Only then do we together start building a treatment plan that incorporates good eye hygiene with small, but impactful lifestyle changes. Our sight is our most important sense, and it is intimately linked to our very being. I want dry eye patients to not only get their dry eyes under control, but to also enjoy good mental and physical health, and live a fulfilling life. What is good for the eyes should also strengthen the mind and fortify the body!

Get to know me a little better!

Hobby: vintage watches
Food: peanut butter
Superhero: Superman
Guilty pleasure: desserts
Secret power: has never had a headache

Training:

Undergraduate: University of Pittsburgh Honors College
Medical school: Weill Cornell Medicine
Ophthalmology residency: Wills Eye Hospital.

10 Ways to Protect Your Eyes in Winter

Share

Table of Contents

The winter months are full of snowfalls, ski trips, and holiday celebrations. Those cold weather months can also be a time of painful dry eyes, annoying itchy eyes, and irritating watery eyes. Take steps to protect your eyes in winter and you’ll be able enjoy the winter months so much more.

During the winter months, cold air and low humidity reduce the protective tear layer on the surface of your eyes. This leads to irritating symptoms including watery eyes in some people. While in others the cold temperatures and dry air cause dry eye symptoms or itchy eyes.

In this article, we’ll show you 10 ways you can protect your eyes in winter and take good care of your eye health during the coldest time of the year.

Key Points

  • Cold winds, dry air, and sun glare off the snow are all hazards of winter months that can cause discomfort, and even damage, to your eyes.
  • Protect your eyes in winter with proper eye protection and good eye hygiene.
  • While indoors, take steps to add moisture to the air, lower the heat, and reduce screen time.
You brush your teeth,
moisturize your skin,
what about your eyes?
Take the quiz
Eyecare Quiz on Cellphone

Use a Humidifier Indoors to Protect Your Eyes in Winter

Running a humidifier while you’re indoors at home or work, can make the winter months a lot more comfortable. A humidifier adds moisture to dry winter air which can help keep your eyes healthy and hydrated.

Not only can a humidifier ease symptoms of dry eye, but it can also prevent skin and hair dryness, as well as cold and allergy symptoms.

Humidifiers can be used safely in your bedroom and other places you spend long stretches of time.

Wear Glasses instead of Contact Lenses

Grab eyeglasses and set your contact lenses aside in cold temperatures. The cold and wind of the winter months can make contact lenses uncomfortable to wear. Whether the cold, dry air causes dry eye symptoms or watery eyes for you, contact lenses are not ideal in those conditions.

If you suffer from winter dry eyes, wearing contact lenses can worsen symptoms such as redness, gritty sensation, or even pain.

When winter causes watery eyes, your contact lenses may shift around causing vision problems.

Wearing glasses can prevent discomfort and protect your eyes in winter from cold temperatures, dry winds, and allergens in the air that may cause itchy eyes.

Use Eye Drops to Lubricate Dry Eyes

Eye drops, also called artificial tears, can be helpful to ease dry eye symptoms during the winter months. Keeping your eyes lubricated will help them feel more comfortable in cold air or dry indoor environments.

If you’re shopping for over-the-counter eye drops, be sure to choose preservative-free eye artificial tears. Try CorneaCare Preservative-free Artificial Tears to lubricate your eyes.

If you have dry eye symptoms that are having a negative impact on your daily life, see your eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) for an eye exam.

Your eye doctor can recommend options beyond eye drops to treat or prevent dry eye disease.

eyelid hygiene foundation

Foundation

Eyelid Hygiene Plan 2

Perfect for eye dryness, burning, itching, crusting/flaking of eyelashes and inflamed eyelids. Free shipping 📦.

Try today - $45

Lower the Heat at Home

As the cold temperatures continue to drop, you’ll be tempted to continue raising the heat indoors. However, that dry hot air can lead to dry eye symptoms for you.

Outdoors, it’s exposure to cold air and wind that impacts your eye health during the winter. Then you head indoors and your eyes are met with heated, dry air thanks to the use of heaters.

The warm, dry air hastens the evaporation of the tear film, a layer of moisture protecting the surface of your eyes. Symptoms of dry eyes include eye fatigue, blurred vision, foreign object sensation, and light sensitivity.

When you’re at home, keep the heat as low as you comfortably can. Turn your heaters and heating vents away from your face and eyes, both at home and in the car. Don’t sleep with heaters or fans directed at your face, to protect your eyes in winter.

Keep Away from Your Allergy Triggers to Protect Your Eyes in Winter

Most people think of springtime when worrying about allergens in the air. However, the winter months bring their own long list of allergy triggers.

As the cold weather sends you indoors, you spend more time around dust and pet dander, heated dry air, and smoke from fireplaces.

It can help to know what triggers your irritating itchy eyes, watery eyes, or dry eye symptoms and avoid them as much as possible. You can wear glasses to protect your eyes from smoke, ask others to do the dusting around the house, and avoid spending too much time around pets if you are allergic.

Replace air filters in your car and home, use an air purifier, and add moisture to the air with a humidifier. Lubricating eye drops can help relieve itchy eyes and dry eye symptoms caused by allergens.

Drink Water to Stay Hydrated

It’s so easy to forget to drink enough water in the colder months. However, staying hydrated can help prevent or reduce dry eye symptoms, and keep you healthier overall.

As you go about your day, whether you’re working indoors or enjoying outdoor winter sports, keep a bottle of water with you. Remember to drink plenty of water every day, at least 8 glasses, and your eyes will thank you.1

Staying hydrated can also keep your skin feeling more comfortable during the winter months. Include broths, herbal teas, fruits, and vegetables in your winter diet for more ways to stay well hydrated.

Eye Vitamins and Minerals

Multivitamin

Eye Vitamins & Minerals

A single multivitamin to address the nutritional needs of your eyes, mind and body. 📦 Free shipping.

Try today - $35

Avoid Touching Your Eyes to Protect Your Eyes in Winter

During the winter months, you may experience itchy eyes which can be very irritating and cause you to touch your eyes more often. The problem is, when you rub your itchy eyes, you may spread a virus or infection to your eyes.

There are many causes of itchy eyes, including dry air, allergens, colds, and flu.2 

It’s best to avoid touching your eyes. Wearing winter gloves outdoors may help keep you and your children from touching your eyes during the winter months.

Protect Your Eyes in Winter’s Cold and Snow

Don’t pack your sunglasses away when summer ends. Sunglasses are just as important in the cold weather to protect your eyes in winter.

Wear sunglasses to shield your eyes from the wind and cold. The lenses protect your eyes and may help reduce the risk of dry eyes and watery eyes.

Sunglasses can further protect your eyes in winter from the glare of the sun’s powerful UV light reflecting off the snow.

Snow blindness, a form of photokeratitis, is a painful condition that can cause blurred vision, light sensitivity, and even temporary vision loss. Like a sunburn on the eye, photokeratitis is due to cornea damage by UV light from the sun.3 

When exposed to glare from the snow over time, snow blindness can further lead to serious conditions such as cataracts and macular degeneration.4

If you enjoy skiing, snowboarding, or other winter sports, purchase the right eye protection along with the rest of your equipment. Non-glare coated sunglasses or snow goggles with 100% UV protection can protect against both UVA and UVB rays.5 They can also shield your eyes from snow and ice flying through the air.

Always wear sunglasses to protect your eyes in winter weather. Even on overcast days, the ultraviolet light from the sun can cause problems for your eye health.

Hoods, ski masks, and scarves can also offer some eye protection from cold temperatures and dry winds. Shielding your eyes in winter can reduce watery eyes, itchy eyes, and dry eye symptoms.

Reduce Your Digital Screen Time

One downside of all the time spent indoors during the winter months is increased screen time. Digital eye strain, also called computer vision syndrome, can lead to dry eye symptoms.

Set the brightness of your device’s screen to match the lighting of the room you’re in. This helps reduce eye strain whether you’re using a computer, laptop, or smartphone.

Be sure to take regular screen breaks, and use the 20-20-20 rule. According to the American Optometric Association recommendation: “every 20 minutes, shift your eyes to look at an object at least 20 feet away, for at least 20 seconds.”6

Consider other indoor activities to reduce the time you spend looking at screens and protect your eyes in winter. Play board or card games with your family, do puzzles or try a new hobby such as painting, wood carving, or knitting.

eyelid hygiene foundation

Foundation

Eyelid Hygiene Plan 2

Perfect for eye dryness, burning, itching, crusting/flaking of eyelashes and inflamed eyelids. Free shipping 📦.

Try today - $45

Prioritize Your Eye Health and Wellness

As the temperatures drop, a few simple lifestyle changes can keep your eyes healthy and comfortable through the cold weather of the winter months.

  • Shift to a healthier diet rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. To fill in the gaps in your diet, include a supplement such as CorneaCare Eye Vitamins & Minerals, a daily multivitamin for eyes, mind, and body.
  • Eat more foods that contain omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, cod, walnuts, and flaxseed oil, and add CorneaCare Triple Strength Omega-3 supplements.
  • Eyelid hygiene is an important part of your eye health and wellness. CorneaCare Eyelid Hygiene products help you prioritize your eyecare and protect your eyes in winter. Our Eyelid Wipes can reduce eye dryness, itchy eyes, burning, and eyelash crusting.
  • Place a warm washcloth over your eyes nightly. Or try CorneaCare Self-Heating Warm Compresses which provide instant warmth plus hydrated minerals perfect for eye dryness, fatigue, tearing, puffiness of the eyelids, and styes, all without needing a microwave!
  • Over-the-counter artificial tears can provide temporary relief for dry eyes, however, they may contain preservatives that irritate the eyes. CorneaCare Preservative-free Artificial Tears lubricate and nourish your eyes to enhance hydration and keep your eyes comfortable.

Putting it All Together

The best way to protect your eyes in the winter months is to be prepared and prevent cold weather problems. Use a humidifier indoors, eat a healthy diet, and drink plenty of water. Cover your eyes and try eye drops to soothe and protect your eyes in winter. Practice daily eyelid hygiene.

These tips can help you take care of your eyes and reduce itchy eyes, watery eyes, and winter dry eyes. However, if your symptoms persist, make an appointment with your eye doctor (optometrist or ophthalmologist) for an eye exam.

Want to take care of your eyes but not sure where to start?
Take the quiz
Eyecare Quiz Illustration of Quiz

What’s Next

Want to learn more about keeping your eyes healthy? Check out more articles in our Eye Health and Wellness section.

Bibliography

  1. Water: How much should you drink every day, Mayo Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256. Accessed 26 November 2022.
  2. How to Fight Dry, Itchy Eyes This Winter, WebMD, https://www.webmd.com/eye-health/news/20171226/how-to-fight-dry-itchy-eyes-this-winter. Accessed 27 November 2022.
  3. What is Photokeratitis — Including Snow Blindness, https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/photokeratitis-snow-blindness. Accessed 26 November 2022.
  4. Photokeratitis, Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15763-photokeratitis. Accessed 26 November 2022.
  5. Winter UV Eye Safety: Prevent Snow Blindness and Other Conditions, American Academy of Ophthalmology, https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/winter-sun-eye-safety. Accessed 21 November 2022.
  6. Computers, Digital Devices, and Eye Strain. American Association of Ophthalmology, https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/computer-usage. Accessed 27 November 2022.

Share

Continuing Education

Loading...
  • Eye Health & Wellness

Before and After LASIK Eye Surgery: What to Know

9 min read

It’s important to understand the risks of LASIK surgery to have realistic expectations about your vision before and after LASIK eye surgery.
Heather Cottrell

Heather Cottrell

  • Eye Health & Wellness

White, Stringy Mucus in Eye

6 min read

What’s that white, stringy mucus in your eye? Find out what’s causing the discharge and what you can do about it.
Heather Cottrell

Heather Cottrell

  • Eye Health & Wellness

Grey Spot on White of Eye

6 min read

Grey spot on white of eye can be congenital or acquired, benign or malignant. An eye doctor can assess the spot and make a diagnosis.
Courtney Dryer, OD

Courtney Dryer, OD

Logo_Corneacare_White

    • Shop
    • Education
    • Community
    • App
    • Blog
    • Eye Glossary
    Menu
    • Shop
    • Education
    • Community
    • App
    • Blog
    • Eye Glossary
    • Contact
    • Terms of service
    • Privacy policy
    • Shipping & Returns
    • Contact
    • Terms of service
    • Privacy policy
    • Shipping & Returns
    • Education
    • Shop
    • Contact
    • Terms of service
    • Privacy policy
    • Shipping & Returns
    • Education
    • Shop
    • Contact
    • Terms of service
    • Privacy policy
    • Shipping & Returns
    • Education
    • Shop
    • Contact
    • Terms of service
    • Privacy policy
    • Shipping & Returns
    • Education
    • Shop
    • Contact
    • Terms of service
    • Privacy policy
    • Shipping & Returns
    Instagram Facebook_Pink Youtube Twitter Tiktok
    Copyright – © 2023 CorneaCare, Inc. ⚡️ All rights reserved
    *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease
    20% OFF personalized, convenient and effective eyecare.
    20% OFF personalized eyecare
    Take the quiz
    Take the quiz