Protect Your LASIK Surgery Results This Winter With These 5 Tips
As winter continues to set in, you’re probably trying your best to keep yourself safe from catching a cold or flu. However, did you know that this season can pose a threat to more than just our immune system? That’s right, the winter can actually irritate our eye health. If you’ve had laser eye surgery by a Los Angeles LASIK professional, then this fact might be unwelcome. After all, you corrected your vision only to find out that something like seasonal change may upset your eyes! Luckily, there are ways you can avoid this. Let’s look at what you can do this winter season to keep your eyes healthy and happy!
Why does winter strain our eyes?
To understand what we can do to protect our eyes, we have to first understand the problem itself. Here are the top 3 reasons that explain why winter presents extra trouble.
- Winter is cold- Cold air is unable to hold sufficient amounts of humidity. Unfortunately, air with no humidity can suck the moisture out of our eyes, leaving them feeling itchy and irritated. Of course, this is an issue during the winter as the air gets colder. It also doesn’t help that because winter is cold, people turn on their heating systems and dispense warm dry air into their home, which can further dehydrate the eyes.
- More screen time- Many of us opt to stay inside more during the colder season, which can translate to more time spent looking at an electronic screen. This poses an issue because excessive screen time causes us to blink less and strain more, leading to eyes that are irritated, fatigued, and dry.
- Exposure to UV rays- If you’ve had laser eye surgery in Los Angeles, then your surgeon probably explained how harmful UV rays can be for our eyes. Exposure can increase your risk of cataracts, eye cancer, and blindness. People commonly believe that sun exposure is only something to be wary of during the summer, but the truth is that it poses just as big a threat in the winter as well. This is especially true if you are around snow, as it can reflect the UV right back into your eyes.
What we can do to protect our eyes
Luckily, there are all sorts of measures you can take to maintain the healthy state your Los Angeles Lasik procedure left your eyes in. Here are some of the best ways you can protect your eyes this winter season.
Protecting your eyes from dry air
- Buy a humidifier- A humidifier adds moisture into the air it’s placed in, therefore keeping your eyes hydrated. This way, you can still enjoy your nice warm heater while still having moisturized eyes!
- Use eyedrops- Eyedrops are an incredibly effective tool when your eyes feel irritated. That’s because they directly provide the hydration you need directly to the surface of your eye. Do your research to find the best drops that are most suitable for your needs.
Protecting your eyes from UV rays
- Wear sunglasses- Wearing sunglasses is the best way to shield your eyes from the sun’s rays while outside. However, make sure that your pair has UV protection, as these are the only types of sunglasses that can actually protect your eyes from UV specifically.
Protecting your eyes from excessive screen time
- Employ the 20-20-20 rule- The 20-20-20 rule states that after every 20 minutes of screen time, you should take your eyes off the screen and look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. The point of this is to give your eyes a break from the screen so they can relax. Try it out!
- Remember to blink- We tend to blink less when looking at a screen so we can focus better on what we’re looking at. Unfortunately, this can irritate and dry out the eyes. Try to be conscious of your blinking, and take breaks often where you let yourself blink excessively.
While winter does present us with irritating conditions for our eyes, there are fortunately several ways we can combat all of them. However, if irritation worsens to painful levels, set up an appointment at your local Los Angeles Lasik eye center to speak to a professional about further steps to improve your eye health.
