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Your Essential Guide to Eye Health When the Temperature Drops

When the cold winds howl across the Midwest, many of us focus on bundling up to keep warm. But have you ever considered how the drop in temperature might be impacting a less obvious part of your health—your eye pressure?

For people managing glaucoma, a condition where elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) damages the optic nerve, understanding this connection is crucial.

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How Does Cold Weather Affect Eye Pressure?

The relationship between cold weather and eye pressure is a complex one, often surprising to many patients. Research indicates that low ambient temperatures can potentially lead to a slight increase in eye pressure (IOP) in some individuals.

Why does this happen?

There are a few key theories that our doctors at Southwest Eye Care consider:

  • Vascular Constriction: When it’s cold, blood vessels throughout the body, including those in the eye, constrict (narrow) to conserve heat. This change in blood flow may interfere with the natural draining system of the eye, known as the trabecular meshwork, potentially causing fluid backup and an increase in IOP.
  • Pupil Size: In dim light, which is more common during short winter days, the pupils dilate. This dilation can narrow the drainage angle in certain types of glaucoma, like narrow-angle glaucoma, triggering an acute pressure spike.

Common Questions Glaucoma Patients Ask About Winter

Not necessarily, but you should be extra vigilant. The increase in pressure is typically modest, but for someone whose glaucoma is already borderline or progressing, even a small increase can be significant.

Physical protection is essential, especially when engaging in winter activities.

  1. Wear Protective Eyewear: Ski goggles or large sunglasses help block the wind and cold directly from your eyes, maintaining a warmer microclimate around them.
  2. Stay Hydrated: Dry indoor heat in Minnetonka and surrounding areas can lead to dry eyes, which can sometimes correlate with discomfort and vision issues. Drink plenty of water.
  3. Regular Monitoring: If you are a glaucoma patient, don’t wait until spring for your next check-up. Stick to the monitoring schedule your doctor sets.

No, extreme cold does not cause glaucoma. Glaucoma is caused by a complex combination of factors, including genetics, age, and pre-existing eye structures. However, as noted, cold weather can potentially exacerbate existing glaucoma by affecting IOP levels.

Yes! Besides IOP concerns, cold, dry air combined with forced-air heating indoors can severely worsen Dry Eye Syndrome. Using lubricating eye drops (artificial tears) is often recommended.

Your schedule is unique, but if you have been recently diagnosed or your pressure has been variable, your doctor might recommend more frequent visits, perhaps every 4-6 months, to monitor stability. Never self-adjust your medication.

Your Winter Eye Care Checklist

To help you manage your glaucoma and eye pressure effectively during the cold season, keep this checklist handy:

  • Commit to Your Drops: Use your prescription eye drops exactly as directed, every day.
  • Wear Sunglasses: Even on cloudy winter days, UV rays reflect harshly off the snow.
  • Avoid Dehydration: Counteract the drying effects of indoor heating.
  • Ventilation: If you wear glasses, wear a scarf or mask that directs breath downward to prevent fogging, which can cause temporary vision impairment.
  • Know Your Symptoms: Call us immediately if you experience sudden pain, redness, blurred vision, or halos around lights—these could be signs of an acute pressure spike.

Schedule Your Winter Eye Pressure Check

Don’t let the beautiful but harsh Midwest winter compromise your vision. If you live in or around Belle Plaine, Chaska, Glencoe, or any of our neighboring communities, now is the perfect time to have your intraocular pressure checked.

Our doctors at Southwest Eye Care are committed to providing expert, compassionate eye health management.

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