Dry eye in Michigan: why winter makes it worse and what actually helps
Furnace air, screens and lake-effect wind are a rough combination. Here is what's actually happening on the surface of your eye, and a plan that works.
Every January the same thing happens in our exam lane: people come in convinced they need a new prescription, and what they actually have is dry eye. Blurry vision that clears when you blink, eyes that burn by mid-afternoon, and (counterintuitively) eyes that water are all classic signs.
Why Michigan winters are hard on eyes
Cold air holds less moisture, and furnace-heated indoor air holds even less. Add wind on the drive down Walton Blvd, a day of staring at screens (we blink about a third as often when reading a screen), and contact lens wear, and the tear film that's supposed to coat your eye breaks down faster than your eyes can replace it.
Two kinds of dry eye
Some people don't make enough tears. Far more people make tears that evaporate too fast because the oil glands along the eyelid edge (the meibomian glands) are clogged or sluggish. The two need different treatment, which is why a bottle of drops from the drugstore only helps for ten minutes. Dr. Dolan looks at your tear film and lid glands under magnification to see which problem you have.
What actually helps
- The right artificial tears. Preservative-free drops, used before your eyes get dry rather than after, and a thicker gel at night if you wake up with sore eyes.
- Warm compresses and lid hygiene. Ten minutes of real warmth (a heated mask, not a washcloth that cools in thirty seconds) melts clogged gland oils; gentle lid cleaning keeps them clear.
- Screen habits. Every twenty minutes, look twenty feet away for twenty seconds, and blink fully. Lower the screen so your eyes are slightly downcast, which keeps more of the eye covered.
- A humidifier in the bedroom and the office.
- Prescription treatment for inflammation when the basics aren't enough. Anti-inflammatory drops, short courses of other medications, and tiny plugs that keep your own tears on the eye longer are all options Dr. Dolan can discuss.
- Contact lens changes. Switching to daily disposables or a different material can make lenses comfortable again.
When to be seen
If drops aren't cutting it, if your vision fluctuates through the day, or if your eyes are red and sensitive to light, book a dry eye evaluation. Dry eye is a medical visit, usually covered by health insurance rather than a vision plan. Call (248) 375-0040; we're at 3110 Walton Blvd in Rochester Hills.
20/20 Vision is an independent optometry practice and designer eyewear boutique at 3110 Walton Blvd, Rochester Hills, MI 48309, serving Rochester Hills, Rochester, Oakland Township, Auburn Hills and Troy since 1980. Eye exams with Dr. David Dolan, OD. In-network with VSP.