During winter your eyes are exposed to more challenging conditions. Here are our top 3 tips to help your eyes stay comfortable during winter.
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Keep your eyes moist
- During winter, the air becomes drier. This is made worse by wood fires and electric heaters.
- This increased dryness can cause dry eyes or make pre-existing dry eyes worse
- You can help reduce this dryness by using lubricated eye drops, sitting further away from heating sources and using a humidifier during the winter months
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Limit your time spent in front of electronic devices
- Most of us spend most of their day looking at some form of screen
- When the weather is cold and wet we are much more likely to spend more time in front of the TV or other electronic devices such as iPads and computers
- When you use an electronic device you blink less, which can cause digital eye strain and dry eyes
- You can help reduce eye strain by following the 20-20-20 rule. This entails looking 20 feet into the distance for 20 seconds for every 20 minutes of computer work you do.
- Doing this will also help to preserve your vision
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Make sure you have enough light when reading or doing close work
- During winter, there are lower levels of light which can make reading and close work more challenging, especially if you’re older or have problems with your vision
- Make sure to have additional lighting if you are working or reading up close to make the experience more comfortable.