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How to Keep Your Eyes Protected During the Winter Months

mikelsonmd@gmail.com (Mikelson MomPremier) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 23:24:29 GMT

Get tips to get keep your eyes protected during the winter:

Your eye health is something you should be maintaining on a daily basis, year-round. With that said, certain times of the year present specific dangers and risks to your eye health. Without taking the necessary precautions, you could put your eyesight and vision in harm’s way.

Things are no different in the winter. In fact, the cold winter months present a number of challenges for your eyesight and it requires proper maintenance throughout the season. Unfortunately, most people are either unaware of this threat or don’t know how to prevent it.

Don’t worry, we’re going to teach you everything you need to know about maintaining your eye health during the winter season – including the various threats your eyes face, the many eye diseases you may experience, and how to keep your eyes protected during the winter months.

Factors That Affect Eye Health During the Winter

The eyes work in miraculous ways and play a major role in our ability to live a quality life, but that doesn’t mean the eyes are perfect by any means and they’re actually quite vulnerable in the winter environment. By understanding what’s at stake, you can protect them from damage.

To ensure everyone is on the same page, we’re going to detail some of the most prominent factors that have a negative impact on eye health during the colder months – including dry air and cold air, increased exposure to UV rays, increased screen time, and more time spent indoors.

Let’s take a closer look at each factor:

Dry and Cold Air:
Many of us are aware that the winter months bring both dry and cold air. It’s why our lips are always chapped, why our skin is always dry, and why a lot of us can’t stand this season. More than that, dry and cold air stimulates tear evaporation and results in less moisture in the eye

UV Exposure:
UV exposure is nothing new to your eye. It’s exposed to ultraviolet rays (UV rays) on a daily basis, but this exposure is intensified during the winter, especially in snowy climates. This is largely due to the sun’s reflection on the snow, which results in higher exposure to UV rays.

More Time Spent Indoors:
Since the weather doesn’t satisfy everyone’s wants during the winter, many people elect to spend more time indoors. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, the increased exposure to heating systems can dehydrate the eyes and result in a number of eye problems and changes.

Increased Screen Time:
With people spending more time indoors during the winter months, it’s only right to assume that they’re spending more time in front of a screen – whether it be the phone, laptop, tablet, television, or any other device. Too much screen time can be damaging to your eye health.

Eye Diseases Often Experienced During the Winter:

Now that we’ve discussed some of the threats that our eyes are exposed to once winter arrives, you’re likely wondering what that means for your eyes. The truth is it could spell trouble in a variety of ways and those troubles can only lead to more vision problems if left untreated.

To further ensure everyone knows what’s at stake, we’re going to detail some of the most common eye and vision problems experienced during the cold temperatures – including dry eye syndrome, excessive tears (watery eyes), and snow blindness (photokeratitis). Let’s take a closer look!

Dry Eyes:
With how dry and cold the air is in the winter, it’s no surprise to see dry eyes on this list. The temperature drops, winds intensify, humidity decreases, and we’re exposed to central heating and other heating sources during the winter. These can all contribute to or worsen dry eyes.

Excessive Tears or Watery Eyes:
After talking about dry eyes, it might be weird to also see watery eyes on this list. When the eyes get dry and tear evaporation increases, the lacrimal glands near the eye respond by producing an excess of tears. This results in watery eyes, which is common in the winter.

Snow Blindness or Photokeratitis:
Snow blindness, also known as photokeratitis, is a common eye disease during snowy weather conditions. It happens when the eye is exposed to too much UV sunlight and is a big reason why you’ll see winter athletes wearing snow goggles with proper eye protection from UV radiation.

How to Keep Your Eyes Protected During the Winter Months

By now, you know what to keep an eye on during the winter months and understand how things can go wrong with your eye health during the winter season. Now you just need some quality and useful tips on how to protect your eyes when the winter months roll around every year.

Don’t worry, we’re not going to leave you hanging. Let’s take a look at some of our most prominent tips and advice when maintaining eye health and preventing vision changes during the winter. We highly recommend you take these tips seriously because they go a long way!

Artificial tears and eye drops can help you prevent dry eyes.
If you have low humidity levels in the home, invest in a humidifier.
Minimizing the use of fans and preventing drafts in the home can reduce tear evaporation.
If you’re going to be outside in the sun during the winter, wear sunglasses or goggles.
Avoid the use of contact lenses outside in the winter.
Wear eye protection goggles when engaging in any winter sports.
Avoid spending long hours inside with the central heating on.
Take breaks when in front of your phone, laptop, tablet, or television.
Go for a walk every day to get some fresh air and get yourself out of the house.
Eat a well-balanced diet, keep yourself hydrated, and avoid scratching your eyes.
If you notice any symptoms of eye problems, contact your eye doctor right away.

Maintaining your eye health and protecting your eyes on a daily basis is essential to preserving your vision for as long as possible. If you feel that you’re experiencing vision changes or eye issues, don’t hesitate to seek immediate help from your local ophthalmologist – it could save your vision!

When you’re ready for your next check-up and want to schedule a comprehensive eye exam, contact MomPremier Eye Institute today. We can’t wait to help you achieve quality vision!

How Often Should You Get an Eye Exam?

mikelsonmd@gmail.com (Mikelson MomPremier) — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 23:14:12 GMT

Everything you need to know about when to get an eye exam:

The eyes are two of the most sacred organs in the entire human body. Along with the brain, they work together to convert incoming light into an image, giving us the incredible and wonderful gift of eyesight. Without quality vision, life would be much different for the average individual.

There are a number of different structures that contribute to our vision and overall eye health. The most prominent eye structures include the cornea, lens, pupil, iris, uvea, sclera, vitreous humor, retina, optic nerve, and the brain. Tears also play an enormous role in eye health.

In order for your vision to work as intended, all of these different structures need to be healthy and working properly. Any inconsistencies or damage to these structures can result in eye disease, vision changes, eye problems, irritability, injury, and even permanent vision loss.

That’s why maintaining your eye health is essential to preserving your vision for as long as possible. By taking the necessary precautions – such as scheduling a regular eye exam – and being on the lookout for early warning signs of eye problems, your vision will continue to prevail.

So, how often should you get an eye exam?

When you were growing up, you likely remember your parents scheduling an appointment with your eye doctor every year. Just like the dental cleaning or the annual physical, most children don’t enjoy visiting the eye doctor’s office and this will generally follow them into adulthood.

As much as we try to avoid the doctor’s office, getting frequent eye exams is essential not only to your eye health, but your overall health and wellness. That’s why most eye doctors suggest scheduling an annual eye exam every year to detect any eye problems in their earliest stages.

With that said, the time difference between exams will vary for everyone. Adults between the ages of 20 and 39 can usually get away with an eye exam every three years. The need for an annual eye exam gradually increases as you age, but it’s best to do it every year just in case.

For children, we recommend scheduling their first eye exam by the time they turn one year old. You should schedule another eye exam before they start school (3-5 years old) and then once every year after that up until they graduate. This helps your doctor monitor their eye health.

At the end of the day, everyone is different. Some people can get away with an eye exam every couple years, while other people might need to visit several times per year. You should always follow the advice of your ophthalmologist since they know your eye health better than anyone -- especially if you wear glasses or contact lenses.

What Does an Annual Comprehensive Eye Exam Include?

A comprehensive eye exam is an all-inclusive eye exam that tests for a wide range of issues in the eye. The goal behind an eye exam is to measure and analyze your current eye health, while also monitoring eye health long-term to detect, diagnose, and treat any eye issues that arise.

The eye exam generally won’t take more than an hour and a half. Your eye doctor will have you complete a number of different tests, all of which are non-invasive tests that won’t take long. By the end of the exam, your doctor will know everything there is to know about your eyesight.

Here are some of the most prominent tests completed during a comprehensive eye exam:

Visual acuity test with the standard eye chart
Testing for a refractive error in the eye (myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism)
Retinoscopy to observe the reflection of light off the retina
Visual fields test to analyze blind spots and peripheral vision
Cover uncover test to detect binocular and strabismus problems
Slit lamp test to detect certain eye diseases in the front and inside of the eye
Dilated eye exam to get a closer look at the retina and overall eye health
Glaucoma test to measure eye pressure and presence of glaucoma

In addition to the tests above, your doctor will also ask you a number of questions to get a sense of your daily lifestyle and habits. They’ll also want to know about your family history and personal medical history to properly detect risk factors, especially since some eye diseases are genetic.

Contact MomPremier Eye Institute Today!

Scheduling regular eye exams is extremely important to maintaining quality vision for as long as possible. Whether you’re experiencing symptoms of potential eye disease or have perfect vision, you should never hesitate to schedule a regular appointment with your ophthalmologist.

At MomPremier Eye Institute , we take great pride in serving the DeSoto, TX community – as well as all the wonderful communities nearby. For a welcoming, friendly, passionate, and experienced team of eye care specialists, contact our office today at 469-687-5664 .

We can’t wait to serve you and your family with quality eye care services year-round!