Looking after your body is super important as we transition into autumn/winter, the colder months can often reap havoc on your health and wellbeing – making you more susceptible to colds and illness, however one area that often gets missed is eye health.
During winter, your eyes are put at a greater risk of becoming dry, sore and irritated, due to the harsh weather conditions such as winds, rain, colder temperatures and dry air. It’s super important to take just as much care with your eyes as with the rest of your body.
Here, lead pharmacist and health adviser for Simply Meds Online, Parvinder Sagoo shares his six top tips for keeping your eyes healthy this autumn and winter.
Invest in eye drops
The dry winter air can often be harsh on the eyes and can actually cause evaporation of water from the eyes which results in irritation and dry, sore eyes. The best solution for dry eyes is investing in some decent eye drops which helps to give back moisture to your eyes whilst also soothing them. Systane Gel Eye Drops are recommended to temporarily relieve dry eye symptoms.
Avoid too much screen time
It’s no secret that too much screen time can often strain the eyes and can also cause the eyes to feel dry and irritated. The skin around the eyes may also feel sore. This is heightened in winter as the air is dryer and, because the evenings become darker sooner, you may find you’re working in a darker room with artificial lights and blue light emitting screens, which can further aggravate the eyes and could also trigger headaches. It’s best to avoid too much screen time, especially in the evening. Allow your eyes time to rest.
Wear sunglasses where possible
Sunglasses not only protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun, but they can also protect them from the harsh winter elements such as wind, dry air, rain and other precipitation. The sun in winter can often seem a little brighter and harsh too as it is lower in the sky, so it’s best to wear sunglasses where possible to protect the eyes.
Moisturise often
Moisturiser is your best friend during the colder months, as our skin will be zapped of all moisture so needs all the help it can get. Opt also for an eye cream to apply at night, this will help to soothe and hydrate the delicate skin around the eye area.
Get regular eye tests
Getting regular eye tests is important all year round, however sometimes in winter our eyesight can often be strained even more; night driving, darker nights and dim lighting can all have an affect on the eyes and cause us to strain our eyes. It may be that you need glasses if you are having problems, so it’s best to visit an optician or eye clinic over the colder months.
Avoid rubbing your eyes
I know it’s hard to resist rubbing your eyes when it becomes cold, your eyes become dry and irritated, but doing so will only make them worse, and you could be damaging not only the eyeball itself, but also the skin around the socket, increasing your chances of developing wrinkles sooner. If you feel your eyes are sore and you are tempted to rub them, use a few drops of the Systane gel eye drops in each eye to immediately relieve them.
Eye care products can be found on the Simply Med Site: simplymedsonline.co.uk
