Five Tips for Healthy Eyes as Fall Turns to Winter

As the days grow shorter and the weather colder, we spend more time indoors with less fresh air and natural light. This can be hard on our eyes. Here are five eye health tips to keep in mind as we head inside for late-fall and winter.

Make sure you have adequate indoor light.Natural sunlight is healthy for your eyes but harder to come by with shorter, and often more overcast, days. Those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder spend time under full-spectrum lights, but we all need to make sure the lighting in our indoor spaces is appropriate for various indoor activities like reading, hobbies, etc. Low light can cause eye strain, but overhead lighting that is too bright can fatigue your eyes too. One simple upgrade you can make is adding task lighting that is bright with ambient and accent lighting that is easy on your eyes.

Take advantage of natural light when you can get it. Make sure you allow room in your day to step outside or spend some time near a window when the sun is shining. Not only can it boost your mood, it also is the best way for your body to process vitamin D, which research shows is important to eye health. If it's strong enough, it makes a great source of task lighting.

But don't forget your sunglasses. Natural light also exposes your eyes to UV rays, which can be damaging. If you are spending time outdoors, make sure you wear your sunglasses.

Stay hydrated. Just like your skin, your eyes are susceptible to increased dryness in the winter. The combination of cold wind outdoors with dry heat inside often becomes too much for your tear glands to handle. Drink more water and consider using a humidifier to help prevent dry eye irritation.

Wash your hands frequently. This advice for avoiding flu and colds is also good for preventing pink eye, which is more common in the winter. Bacterial and viral pink eye are highly contagious, so if you or someone in your family does get it, stay home from work, school and other activities, and consult our office right away to make sure you get the right treatment.