Winter is coming.
While I’m sad to say goodbye to summer sun, beaches and sunnies, the ski bum in me is stoked for fleece and flannel, alpine firesides and fresh pow.
Ooooh the fresh pow!
Getting winter ready in my house includes a huge clothing purge; swapping out my summer wardrobe for fall/winter, changing up my hair and skin care regime to account for they drier weather, and of course revisiting my eye care routine.
I can’t believe I’m going to admit to this, but as I get older the changing seasons has a huge impact on my eyes, and subsequently my overall health. I first noticed it a few years ago while playing fall softball. The nights get longer, darker, and colder, and I was having a harder time seeing the ball at night. I booked an appointment with my optometrist at Image Optometry thinking that my prescription might need updating, only to be surprised by the fact that it was just fine.
She explained to me that much like seasonal car care, home care, or even wardrobe care, your eyes need seasonally appropriate care too!
Here are some helpful tips to help keep your eyes healthy during the winter.
- Wear UV protective sunglasses
Summer may have left us, but the sun is still around. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean that the harmful effects of the sun are any less than they are during the hot summer months. In fact, snowy conditions arguably are twice as harmful on unprotected eyes due to the reflective surface causing UV rays to hit you from above and below your line of sight. As in the summer, opt for sunglasses that block as much UV light as possible, and don’t be afraid to rock a winter hat with a brim or visor on really bright days. Check out these tips for choosing the right sunglasses. - Wear Goggles
Getting ready for a day on the slopes, tracks or trails, hopefully involves gearing up to protect you from the elements. Snow pants and jacket, gloves and boots, toque (beanie or a hat for my you non Canadians out there!) and scarf, and of course goggles for complete head to toe coverage. As with sunglasses, make sure to get goggles with adequate UV ray protection or room for sunglasses underneath. No sun? No worries! Not only do goggles protect your eyes from sun damage, they also help to keep out dirt, debris, slush and ice – all likely culprits of any outdoorsy Westcoast weekend. - Keep your eyes hydrated
Cold winter nights equal cozying up by the fire. Hot or dry heat coupled with indoor forced air or fan circulated air are the perfect conditions for dry, irritated eyes. If you’re noticing your eyes becoming sensitive ensure you’re not sitting too close to your heat source, and use eye drops or artificial tears as needed for relief. Humidifiers can also be great for overall wellness and home hydration. - Keep your eyes clean
This may seem like a no brainer for some, but with holiday festivities and celebrations coming up, there are a few things to keep in mind. Don’t get lazy! Make sure you’re washing your face regularly, especially before bed. Residual make up, sweat and germs have no place on your face, or eyes, keep a clean canvas and your face, and eyes will thank you. Sharing is caring, but not when it comes to makeup and brushes – sharing these personal items can be hazardous. No one wants to give, or receive the gift of bacteria or viruses this holiday season.
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Eyes are very important part of our health. There are many other ways of taking care of eyes. Her in this article very great eye care tips to follow in Winter. I am sure that eye specialist would recommend drinking plenty of water to have healthy eyes in all seasons.
You bet! Thanks for the great tips Soya!
Dry winter is harsh for our eyes, that’s for sure! But just like you said our eyes just need a little help to avoid getting dry. My eyes get itchy and then I got teary. It Probably just natural reaction when my eyes get dry, or some kind of natural reminder for us to take an eye drop or some fake tears, though I never really use some fake tears. I have to agree with Soya as well, even though in the holiday season and everything is so festive it could get us distracted to take care of our eyes, we HAVE to stay hydrated! Not only for the eyes, but also for our body! Thank you for sharing your tips!
I appreciate the tips. I think that it is more important to wear sunglasses in the winter than it is in the summer. The snow makes everything much brighter and my eye doctor always makes a point of telling me to wear sun protection all the time. However, I have not been good at washing my face right before bed. I normally just do it in the morning, however, it is probably better for my eyes if I remember to wash my face both times of day. It certainly can’t hurt.
No problem Jesse! Proper eye care is SO important! I never used to wear sunglasses in the winter, but have found now with the amount of sunny days I get skiing, it’s super important (we don’t get much snow in the city usually). And yes, always wash your face in the morning! I use a face wash at night but then just wash with water in the morning — especially if you’re guilty of not washing your pillow cases as often as you maybe should, like me! 🙂
Those were some really helpful tips. Adding to your point about keeping the eyes hydrated, I think wearing glasses instead of contact lenses in the winter season can provide further protection against the cold, drying air.
Thank you so much for these tips! I just have to find a way to reduce the pain associated with it! I’m going to try out these tips. Thank you