Dry Eyes in Fall and Winter: Why Screens and Cold Air Can Make Them Worse

If your eyes feel tired, achy, or gritty after a long day at the computer, the cause is often dry eye, a common condition in which the surface of the eye doesn’t stay moist enough. Dry eye symptoms can get worse in fall and winter, when cold outdoor air and indoor heating dry out the air.

The good news is that dry eye is usually easy to manage with simple steps and over-the-counter eye drops.

Many people don’t realize their eyes are dry, because dry eye may not feel the way you expect, says Yale Medicine ophthalmologist Vicente Diaz, MD. It can feel like a building pressure around the eyes. Symptoms can also include a feeling of pressure around the eyes or forehead, or a feeling that something is in the eye. Other symptoms include burning or itching, sensitivity to light, or blurred vision that comes and goes.

A thin layer of tears, called the tear film, normally covers the surface of the eye and keeps it moist. Dry eye happens when that tear film is disrupted. Common causes include:

• Blinking less often, which happens involuntarily while concentrating on a screen
• Dry air, from cold weather, wind, or indoor heating
• Changes in tear production, which can happen with age or certain health conditions
• Not drinking enough fluids

Screens don’t damage your eyes, but the way we use them can lead to dry eye.

“If we’re concentrating on something, we actually blink less. That’s our brain’s way of making sure that we don’t miss something,” says Dr. Diaz, who is also an associate professor of ophthalmology and visual science at Yale School of Medicine.

That’s why dry eye is especially common among people who spend much of their day reading on a computer for work or school. The pressure and itching that many people call “eye strain,” also called digital eye strain or computer vision syndrome, is often actually dry eye.

“What causes a lot of the eye-related symptoms from screens is actually that you’re focusing on your task for long periods of time,” Dr. Diaz says. “That means you’re going to be blinking less, and then the dry eye is what causes the pressure or foreign body sensation.”

Many people blame their symptoms on the blue light from phones and computers, and try blue light filters or blue light glasses. These products aren’t harmful, but according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, there is little evidence that they prevent eye strain or discomfort. Blue light from screens is unlikely to be the cause of these symptoms. More often, the cause is dry eye from blinking less.

“Many of the benefits that people see with blue light glasses are actually related to dry eyes,” says Dr. Diaz.

For most people, dry eye can be managed at home. Artificial tears are often a first-line treatment. These lubricating eye drops contain preservatives to keep moisture around the eye. They’re available over the counter and can generally be used up to four times a day. If you need them more often, look for preservative-free drops.

If symptoms continue, gel drops are a thicker option also sold at pharmacies. Because of their thicker texture, they can blur your vision for a short time after use. The blurriness usually fades within about 20 minutes.

If you use screens for much of the day, Dr. Diaz recommends following the “20-20-20 rule”: Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This gives your eyes a break and helps you blink more normally. Other steps that can help include:

• Keeping your screen about an arm’s length from your eyes.
• Making sure your workspace has good lighting.
• Drinking enough fluids throughout the day.

“You should also make sure you have adequate lighting and that you’re adequately hydrated,” says Dr. Diaz.

Dry eye can cause blurred vision and light sensitivity, but it usually doesn’t cause lasting vision loss. Make an appointment with an eye doctor if your symptoms don’t improve after a few weeks of using artificial tears, you notice ongoing changes in your vision, or you have frequent headaches.

Some headaches can be a sign that you need glasses or a new prescription. “Sometimes headaches can be caused by not having the correct prescription or needing glasses and not knowing that you need glasses, and then you’re straining your eyes,” says Dr. Diaz. “An ophthalmologist should rule that out as a reason for why they might be having headaches.”

Get medical care right away if you have sudden vision loss, severe eye pain, a red and painful eye, or sudden flashes of light or new floaters. These symptoms aren’t caused by dry eye and need prompt attention.

For most people, though, a few simple habits and over-the-counter drops are enough to keep eyes comfortable through the drier months.