Your Eyes in the WInter

Before you wax your snowboard and sharpen your skates, you should ensure you’re taking the proper precautions to protect your eyes from tough winter weather.

Here are some eye safety tips you should consider this winter:

• Feeling dry? During this frosty month people may notice that their skin tends to dry up, but did you know that the same thing can happen to your eyes? Essentially dry eye happens when your eyes don’t produce enough tears, and because the cold winter air holds less humidity, it can impact our ability to produce a sufficient amount of tears. If you’re experiencing excessively watery eyes, blurry vision and/or the desire to close your eyes, you may be experiencing dry eye. Try using a humidifier this time of year and ensure that the vents in your vehicle aren’t blowing directly at you.
• Goggle up. Just like playing tennis or swimming during the summer, the winter also has sports where you should wear eye protection. Whether it is polarized lenses for snowboarding, or sunglasses to avoid debris and sunlight while snowshoeing, make sure to protect your peepers! By taking these precautions, you can protect yourself against the harsh seasonal conditions. Also, most people are unaware that excessive wind exposure can cause the white part of the eye to become irritated, which can lead to permanent yellow discolouration – also called pinguecula.
• Sport your sunglasses. Despite the dropping temperature and increased cloud cover, it’s important to always protect your eyes against UVA and UVB rays. Your eyes are sensitive to these rays all year round, and we don’t often consider the reflections of the sun off the snow. Overexposure to UV rays (all year round!), has been linked to a multitude of problems, including cataracts, degeneration of the retina, and damage to the cornea. Be sure to select quality specs that have 100 per cent UVA/UVB stickers.

If you’re confused by all the products that are out there to protect your eyes, chat with Drs. Ho, Gilliver or Dr. Lee.  Our assistants, can help you select the best lenswear shape for your face, and tell you whether your sunglasses meet the right requirement.