Winter is quickly approaching, so it is important that you take the relevant steps to look after your eyes. Many people assume that you only need to take care of your eyes in the summer when the sun is bright, but this is not the case.

Here are some ways that winter can affect your vision and some tips that you can follow to help take optimise your eye health.

Driving in winter

As the nights become longer and less sunshine is around, it is likely that you will be driving in the dark. When it is dark our pupils dilate more to let in more light, however, this can make your vision more blurred. This is why a lot of people are more reliant on their glasses at night. The low-lying sun can also be an issue.

Make sure your windscreen is clean on both the inside and outside to minimise the glare from oncoming cars and that you have a pair of glasses in the car to protect you from the sun.

Dry eyes

If you already suffer from dry eye, then winter may make it worse. Here are some tips to help you:

• Lower the temperature in the room – central heating can dry out your eyes
• Blink more – it is easy to forget to blink when reading or looking at a screen
• Open the windows – try to open the windows during the day to let in new air
• Lubricate your eye – if you have noticeably dry eyes go to your pharmacy and get some eye drops

Dry eye can be caused by a number of different conditions and factors. If you are concerned, go and see your optician.

Watery eyes

The cold wind and air can make your eyes watery. If possible, wear glasses as a barrier to the wind.

Winter sun

Ice and snow are very reflective, so you should wear UV protective eyewear when going out on a bright day. UV damage is cumulative so you will not notice it right away.