Taking care of your eyes over winter
Taking care of your eyes over winter
As the days get colder and darker, you may find that your eyes suffer and it’s important to look after them. Here are our tips to take care of your eyes this winter.
Avoiding dry eyes
Spending long periods in heated buildings can make dry eyes feel worse. Here are some simple steps you can take to feel more comfortable:
> Don’t overheat rooms and reduce the heating if it gets too warm.
> Open windows, even for a few minutes to let fresh, cooler air in.
> Use a humidifier, or have a bowl of water near the radiator to help humidify the air.
> Blink more frequently, to help your eyes continue to produce enough lubrication in the form of tears.
> Keep moisture in by using eye drops – cold winds and central heating can play havoc with your eyes.
Sun protection
Winter is often dark and gloomy, but we have lovely bright, sunny days too. On these days remember to use suitable UV protective sunglasses to shield your eyes, particularly when the sun is low and dazzling, when you are driving and when there is reflection from snow and ice.
If you wear glasses, it’s also worth asking us about anti-reflection coating on the lenses to reduce the effects of sun glare while driving.
Winter lighting
Light levels in winter are much lower than in the summer, so it’s important to ensure you have sufficient light to avoid straining your eyes, particularly when working on a screen. You might find that you need to wear your glasses more when the lighting is poor and if you have problems seeing in low light, we recommend:
> Use natural daylight, sit near to a window when you need to see something clearly, like a book or newspaper.
> Have good lighting close to you when you need it, use a desk light or reading light.
> Spend time outside. There is evidence that encouraging children to spend time outdoors can reduce the onset of myopia and it’s good for all of us to take regular breaks from screens and look further into the distance.
Screen time tips
Many people have significantly increased screen time over the winter. There is no evidence to suggest increased screen time damages your vision, however you may find it tiring to look at a monitor, phone or TV for long periods of time. To reduce eye strain, we recommend:
> Position your monitor a sensible distance away, roughly an arms length is good.
> Avoid reflections in your screen from windows and other light sources.
> Look at something in the distance (over 20 ft away), for 20 seconds or more, every 20 minutes.
> Blink regularly. Focusing on a screen may make you blink less, which may make your eyes dry and uncomfortable.