Winter Eye Protection – 4 Essential Things Everyone Should Know!
British Columbia, November 27, 2025
Even though the sun might not feel as strong, protecting your eyes during Winter is just as important as it is during the hot summer months. To help keep your vision protected year-round, we’ve put together a few key tips for looking after your eye health this winter.
- Protect your eyes from Winter Sun and Wind – more powerful than you think!
Although the Sun’s UV Index is generally low during Canadian winters, outdoor activities like skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, or even shoveling snow can significantly increase UV exposure. Snow and ice reflect ultraviolet rays, especially at higher altitudes, intensifying their effect.
This increased exposure can irritate and damage the eye’s surface, leading to corneal inflammation that causes redness, soreness, and light sensitivity. Over time, high levels of UV light also contribute to cataracts, Age-Related Macular Degeneration, cancer of the eyelids, and other forms of corneal damage that impair vision.
Wearing properly fitted UV goggles or sunglasses will help protect your eyes from both UVA and UVB rays, while also shielding them from harsh winter conditions such as wind, which can irritate the surface of your eyes, the cornea and conjunctiva.
Polarized lenses will reduce the glare off snow providing further safety.
- Manage dry eye
Colder outdoor air and low indoor humidity from heating, closed windows and seasonal irritants like scented candles or hot air from fireplaces can all contribute to dry, irritated and itchy eyes. As low-humidity air holds less moisture, this environmental change can exacerbate dry eye and discomfort. If you are experiencing:
- Excessively watery eyes (a very common symptom of dry eye)
- Blurry vision
- Gritty eyes
- The desire to close your eyes
You may have dry eye.
Over time, dry eye can cause blurred vision or damage the cornea, the protective outer layer at the front of your eye.
Dry eye comfort can be improved and eye health maintained through use of artificial tears. For more severe dry eye, gels and ointments can be used, especially at bedtime. Your Doctor of Optometry is the best source to advise the best drops and treatment options for you.
Read more about Dry Eye including symptoms and treatment options in our Dry Eye, Eye Health Library post here.
- Give your eyes a break from screens
Winter can lend itself to more indoor screen time as the days become shorter and colder, which can worsen eye strain and dryness. Doctors of Optometry encourage patients to periodically step away from their devices for short breaks, or position screens an arm’s length from our eyes and 20 degrees below eye level.
- Book an eye test
Protecting your eyes from the winter weather can help to avoid long term eye health issues. Your Doctor of Optometry can talk to you about how to protect your eyes or complete an eye test to check for eye problems early. Find A Doctor and book a test here.
Sources
https://www.boydvision.ca/winter-eye-care-tips-protecting-your-eyes-in-cold-and-dry-weather/
https://opto.ca/eye-health-library/winter-safety-tips
Make sure to keep up to date with all of our news on Instagram and Facebook.
Google
Apple
Outlook
Office
Yahoo
ICSAbout BC Doctors of Optometry
BC Doctors of Optometry (BCDO) is a primary source for all vision, eye health, and eyewear needs of the people of British Columbia. As a member-based, not for profit association, BCDO represents over 800 optometrists across the province and works to enhance the profession of optometry. The association is dedicated to helping its member thrive and advocating for optometry to elevate patient eye care and outcomes. As a leader in optometry, BCDO is commited to improving access to eye care in over 100 communities in British Columbia.
For more information, visit bc.doctorsofoptometry.ca and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.