Contact lens wearers in particular, will face multiple challenges during the colder weather due to lower levels of humidity and a reduction in daylight hours, subsequently resulting in eye strain, discomfort and potential eye infections. In addition to this, central heating and fireplaces can make matters worse, however there are measures you can take to avoid such issues:
- Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water is key to good general health. This will also help your eyes to stay moist against harsh weather conditions. We understand that hot drinks like tea and coffee keep you warm but unfortunately these drinks can dehydrate you further so it’s essential to increase your water in-take during the colder months.
- We understand that you may want to cosy up to the fireplace or turn up the heating, however contact lenses need to remain moist to stay comfortable for the wearer, therefore the use of a humidifier can significantly improve the moisture in the air, helping to stop your eyes becoming too dry and irritated. Alternatively, where a humidifier is not an option, using eye drops to keep your eyes hydrated can also offer relief.
- Taking a break from wearing your contact lenses can also help. Consider wearing glasses for one day during the week instead of your contact lenses, this will allow your eyes to rest and take in more oxygen, resulting in your contact lenses being more comfortable to wear for a longer period.
- We become less mobile during winter and tend to stay indoors more to avoid the cold but this also means we expose ourselves to more screen time. When using screens, your blink rate is reduced which can cause irritation from your contact lenses and even blurry vision. Try to give your eyes a break every 20 minutes by looking away from the screen for 30 seconds to reduce eye strain.
While we enjoy the winter months for their festive and cosy feel, it’s important to take extra precautions to protect our eyes as part of our general health. When taking all the above factors into consideration, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy wearing your contact lenses during the colder months. For more information on contact lenses, click here.
