Wintertime makes it necessary to make many adjustments to your daily life. Wearing additional layers of clothing, putting snow tires on your car, and taking extra time to prepare for your day are among the changes you must make as temperatures fall. Proper eye care is among the numerous tweaks you must make to your routine when winter comes, but it often goes overlooked. While it may be easy to forget about taking care of your eyes during the winter, it remains essential.
Here are a few ways winter can cause your eyes problems, at what you can do to avoid issues.
Snow Blindness
It may be reasonable to think that the sun doesn’t do much damage when it’s cold out, but it’s crucial to protect yourself. Although you may see snow on the ground, you still need to protect your eyes from the sun. This is essential because the snow can reflect harmful UV rays from the sun, possibly damaging your eyesight and causing a condition called snow blindness. If you have plans to spend lots of time outdoors this winter, protect yourself by wearing sunglasses to keep reflected UV rays from hurting your eyes.
Eye Sunburn
Another reason why proper eye protection is essential, even during winter, is that reflected light can cause sunburn to your eyes. If your eyes are sunburned, it can impact your vision and affect how you go about your everyday activities. Some people experience sunburn in their eyes when they participate in outdoor activities without protecting their eyes for extended periods.
These can include
- Hiking
- Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Sledding
And others.
Protecting Your Eyes
While wearing protective equipment on your eyes is essential, there are other ways to monitor your eye health during winter.
You can also take several other precautions this winter to keep your eyes safe. For instance, using a humidifier in your home can help keep your eyes moist and protect them from the irritation of drying out. Also, using artificial tears can help protect your eyes from the harsh conditions that come with winter and protect them from the cold air that can dry them out.
Sometimes, it’s necessary to get additional help keeping your eyes healthy. If you are dealing with chronic eye conditions and would like further assistance this winter, don’t hesitate to contact our Wilmington office. Call Cape Fear Cataract today to schedule your consultation at 910-769-4590.
