Connecting Symptoms To Solutions: Common Eye Concerns & What To Do About Them

Your eyes and eye health have their own seasonality, so it’s common to experience certain symptoms more during the winter months than others. To that end, we’ve rounded up some of the top symptoms we hear about from patients this time of year. While these issues can occur year-round, many tend to flare up more frequently during this time. Here’s some help connecting common symptoms to effective solutions.

If you experience dry eye, you’re probably familiar with the many symptoms it can include in addition to an overall feeling of dryness: grittiness, redness, the feeling of fatigue and even, counterintuitively, wateriness. Dry eye can be incredibly uncomfortable and tends to flare up in the colder months when the air lacks moisture.

If you’re suffering from dry eye, you can start by using preservative-free, artificial tears to rehydrate your eyes and provide relief. Additionally, many people find that using a cool-mist humidifier in your bedroom at night can be helpful, too. If the dryness persists, schedule an appointment to see an eye doctor. 

While there are many symptoms of cataracts, cloudy or blurry vision is a top one. If this is happening to you, it’s important to see a doctor right away. At Horizon, we have top cataract surgeons on our staff who can offer you a range of premium intraocular lens (IOL) options based on your unique needs.

Cataracts develop regardless of seasonality, but we like to remind people of the symptoms and dangers of cataracts at this time of year, since many people use their FSA or HSA to help pay for cataract surgery.

If you’re having this trio of symptoms simultaneously, you may have photokeratitis, which essentially is a corneal sunburn. This happens a lot in the winter months, particularly for active folks who are outdoors and/or at high altitudes where UV exposure is more intense (e.g. skiers, hikers, etc.).

While painful and irritating, photokeratitis typically goes away within a few days. Even so, don’t disregard its impact on your eye health. The discomfort is a good reminder to use high-quality, UV-blocking sunglasses or goggles that protect you from both UVA and UVB rays.

While people get discharge from the eye year-round, the increase in viral illnesses this time of year means that conjunctivitis (pink eye) almost always increases, too.

While it can be viral, pink eye can also be bacterial, and it may require antibiotic eye drops to treat. Discharge can also indicate other conditions, like a sinus infection, keratitis and more. As such, it’s best to have an eye doctor take a look if you have any form of discharge from the eyes.

Just like with cataracts, there isn’t a specific seasonality to vision loss. However, if your eyesight and/or visual acuity has been decreasing recently, this is an optimal time of year to explore LASIK laser eye surgery.

Not only is LASIK an eligible procedure for the use of HSA or FSA funds, but having clear eyesight in the new year can be a great way to begin 2025.

Schedule An Eye Exam Today

Remember, many early-stage eye diseases, like glaucoma, come with little to no symptoms. So while it’s best to book an eye appointment when you’re symptomatic, it’s just as important to get regular, dilate eye exams regardless of symptoms.

Exams remain the best method of prevention and management for your vision and health. Schedule yours online today!