Protecting Your Eyes During the Winter Season

Your eyes need protection year-round, but winter poses some special challenges for the health of your eyes. The dry, cold air and glare from the sun off of the snow can make your eyes hurt. Our eye doctors at Karns Vision Center in Knoxville would like to offer a few tips for protecting your eyes in the winter.

Turn Down the Heat

One of the best dry eye prevention steps you can take is to keep the heating in your home as low as possible. Indoor heating dries eyes out, causing eye irritation.

Turn Up the Humidity

Dry eyes are aggravated by dry air. Keep the air moist in the room you spend the most time in with a portable humidifier.

Wear Wrap-around Sunglasses

Wrap-around sunglasses protect your eyes in two ways. They minimize glare from sunlight or sunlight reflected off of snow, and they help shield your eyes from the dry air of winter. You can get wrap-around sunglasses from your optometry clinic.

Limit the Use of Hairdryers

When possible, do not use a hairdryer, since this surrounds your eyes with hot, dry air. When you do use a hairdryer, use the lowest setting that you can. Shut your eyes when air from the hairdryer touches them.

Use More Eye Drops or Artificial Tears

Do you already use eye drops or artificial tears? In the wintertime, it’s important to increase your use for dry eye prevention. Get in the habit of taking the eye drops or artificial tears before or after a meal and before bed. This makes it easier to remember to take them before you get eye irritation.

Get an Eye Exam

The best way to protect your eyes is to get an annual eye exam from your eye doctor or family optometrist. This is especially important if you have diabetes since diabetics are prone to many vision problems. Tests can also detect serious eye problems like cataracts long before you show symptoms.

Our Eye Doctors in Knoxville Can Help

If you have questions about caring for your eyes during the winter, or if you suffer from dry eyes and live in the Knoxville area, contact Karns Vision Center to speak with one of our optometrists. Call our team today at (865) 247-7715 or reach us through our website by using our online contact form.

Your eyes need protection year-round, but winter poses some special challenges for the health of your eyes. The dry, cold air and glare from the sun off of the snow can make your eyes hurt. Our eye doctors at Karns Vision Center in Knoxville would like to offer a few tips for protecting your eyes in the winter.

Turn Down the Heat

One of the best dry eye prevention steps you can take is to keep the heating in your home as low as possible. Indoor heating dries eyes out, causing eye irritation.

Turn Up the Humidity

Dry eyes are aggravated by dry air. Keep the air moist in the room you spend the most time in with a portable humidifier.

Wear Wrap-around Sunglasses

Wrap-around sunglasses protect your eyes in two ways. They minimize glare from sunlight or sunlight reflected off of snow, and they help shield your eyes from the dry air of winter. You can get wrap-around sunglasses from your optometry clinic.

Limit the Use of Hairdryers

When possible, do not use a hairdryer, since this surrounds your eyes with hot, dry air. When you do use a hairdryer, use the lowest setting that you can. Shut your eyes when air from the hairdryer touches them.

Use More Eye Drops or Artificial Tears

Do you already use eye drops or artificial tears? In the wintertime, it’s important to increase your use for dry eye prevention. Get in the habit of taking the eye drops or artificial tears before or after a meal and before bed. This makes it easier to remember to take them before you get eye irritation.

Get an Eye Exam

The best way to protect your eyes is to get an annual eye exam from your eye doctor or family optometrist. This is especially important if you have diabetes since diabetics are prone to many vision problems. Tests can also detect serious eye problems like cataracts long before you show symptoms.

Our Eye Doctors in Knoxville Can Help

If you have questions about caring for your eyes during the winter, or if you suffer from dry eyes and live in the Knoxville area, contact Karns Vision Center to speak with one of our optometrists. Call our team today at (865) 247-7715 or reach us through our website by using our online contact form.

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