Five Vision and Eye Issues to Watch Out for at the Holidays

When you think of the holiday season, eye health may not be the first thing that comes to mind, but you should not take a holiday from maintaining good eye health habits. The article below covers common eye issues that can occur during the holiday season and how to decrease your risk. 

Conjunctivitis 

Conjunctivitis involves inflammation and irritation of the white part of the eye. It can develop due to an allergic reaction or due to an infection from a virus or bacteria. According to the Mayo Clinic, conjunctivitis can often occur along with a cold or other respiratory infection.

During the holidays, it is common to spend more time indoors around groups of people. All this time inside increases your risk of catching a cold or infection that can cause conjunctivitis.

Symptoms of conjunctivitis include:

• Red eyes
• Watery eyes
• Itchiness
• A gritty feeling in the eyes

Treatment usually involves symptom relief, such as applying a warm compress or using eye drops.
​
To prevent conjunctivitis this holiday season, avoid rubbing your eyes, wash your hands often, and don’t share washcloths or towels. 

Dry eyes 

The colder weather may increase your risk of developing dry eyes. Also, if you travel by plane this holiday season, flying can also dry out your eyes. Symptoms of dry eyes include:

• Redness
• Irritation
• Burning
• Sensitivity to light

You can combat dry eyes by using lubricating eye drops. If that does not help, talk with your doctor about prescription treatments. 
​

Eye injuries

From cutting down your Christmas tree to mishaps with toys, eye injuries around the holidays are not uncommon. Eye injuries can include anything from a corneal scratch to a ruptured eyeball.

To decrease your risk of an eye injury this holiday season, consider the following:

• Wear eye protection when cutting down a Christmas tree.
• Avoid buying toys that shoot projectiles, such as darts.
• Pop champagne corks away from the face.
• Use a sturdy ladder as needed when hanging holiday decorations to avoid a fall. 

​

Snow blindness

You might not think about sun protection during the winter, but it is just as important to protect your eyes in December as it is in June. Spending time outside, especially in the snow, can increase your chances of developing snow blindness.  

Snow blindness is a type of photokeratitis, which is a sunburn to the cornea. It occurs due to UV rays that are reflected off the snow. It is more common in areas that are at a high elevation and have thinner air. 

Symptoms occur after exposure and can include:

• Pain
• Redness
• Tearing
• Blurry vision

Usually, snow blindness resolves in a few days without lasting damage. The best way to prevent it is to wear sunglasses when outside to protect against UV rays. 
​

Eye strain 

Eye strain can occur anytime your eyes become tired from overuse. A common cause is staring at digital devices, such as cell phones. During the holidays, you may be spending more time indoors, and that may mean using video games, laptops, and other electronic screens. It can also occur from driving long distances.

Symptoms can include:

• Dry eyes
• Sore eyes
• Blurred vision
• Headaches
• Sensitivity to light

The best way to prevent eye strain this holiday season is by giving your eyes a break. Take breaks when driving to rest your eyes. Try to avoid staring at a computer screen for more than 20 minutes without a quick break. You can also put your cell phone aside for a bit. Remember to “hang up and hang out” and spend time with the people you care about.

We hope you have a safe and healthy holiday season with your friends and family!

If you would like to ask whether an appointment with one of our eye doctors would be appropriate at this time, call our office at 508-746-8600. 
​