How the Holidays Can Affect Your Eyes: Stress, Screen Time, and Late Nights
As the holidays approach, your optical health is possibly the last thing on your mind. You may be so focused on preparing for the festivities that you don’t notice your eyes feeling dry, itchy, and tired. However, ignoring these issues won’t make them disappear, and they could even spoil your celebrations. Thankfully, there are some strategies that you can rely on to maintain your holiday eye health and fully enjoy the most wonderful time of the year.
Holiday Stress and Your Eyes
As heartwarming as the holiday season can be, it’s also stressful. In fact, nearly nine out of ten adults in the United States experience stress during the holidays. What most people don’t know, however, is that stress can impact their eye health.
When you’re experiencing any form of stress, your intraocular pressure increases because your body releases cortisol and adrenaline. In turn, you can experience blurry vision, eye twitching, and eye strain. As such, to boost your holiday eye health, it’s a good idea to practice relaxation techniques like deep breathing or mindfulness.
The Discomfort of Excess Screen Time
It’s common for people to spend more time in front of a screen during the holidays. You may be scrolling through social media, shopping online, or even watching your favorite holiday movies. But all of these activities can spell trouble for your eyes.
When you stare at a screen, your eyes can get dry and irritated. That’s because people of all ages tend to blink less often when focused on a screen. Although excess screen time won’t damage your eyes permanently, it can certainly cause discomfort.
You can maintain your holiday eye health by resting your eyes from screen time. After a movie, do something else that doesn’t require such focused attention. Take a break from social media scrolling every 20 minutes and focus on objects at a distance.
If your eyes feel scratchy and dry, another great option is to use eye drops. They offer the lubrication you need to reduce irritation.
Alcohol and Holiday Eye Health
It’s common for people to overindulge in alcoholic drinks during the holidays. Alcohol, however, affects your entire body, and that includes your eyes. Short-term effects of alcohol on your eyes include blurred vision, light sensitivity, and dryness.
Alcohol also raises your blood pressure, which means your eyes will be under a greater level of strain. Therefore, to best maintain your holiday eye health, try not to drink too much during celebrations. And if you do want to indulge, make sure to drink lots of water, too.
Holiday Eye Hazards
The holiday season is synonymous with beautiful decorations, but they could endanger your eyes. As you decorate your tree, watch for hazards that could cause significant pain. For instance, pine tree needles and glass ornaments can easily cause damage if they come into contact with your eyes.
Use goggles or even sunglasses to protect your eyes while decorating. Remember to wash your hands after handling pine trees, too. You don’t want to get their oils in your eyes, as they can cause irritation.
Bright, Flashing Lights and Eye Strain
Holiday decorations wouldn’t be complete with lots of lights. The problem, however, is that they can also cause eye strain. If you stare at them for too long, you can find yourself with watery, irritated eyes.
To avoid the issue without missing out on enjoying decorations, try looking at holiday lights while there’s still a bit of natural light. That can reduce the strain. It’s also a good idea to carry eye drops with you and use them if you begin to feel your eyes dry out.
Late Nights and Your Eyesight
Another aspect of holiday eye health is ensuring you give your eyes the rest they need. Often, people go to bed late and fail to get the quality sleep their bodies require. As a result, you can experience blurry vision and dry eyes. That’s uncomfortable and likely to cause headaches that can ruin your day.
Make an effort to go to bed at the same time each night. And avoid staring at your phone or other screens in bed, since that only tires your eyes out even more.
Watch Out for UV Light
People often think that because the sun is less potent in the winter than in the summer, they can forgo their sunglasses. That’s not the case. For example, sunlight can bounce off it and impact your eyes if you live in an area where it snows. Ensure adequate holiday eye health by wearing sunglasses during the day so UV light doesn’t cause damage.
Holiday Eye Health: Enjoying the Holidays Safely
Holiday eye health is vital, but it doesn’t have to mean forgoing favorite activities. As with most things, moderation is key. Take breaks from screen time, don’t drink too much, and get enough rest.
If you find yourself struggling with dry, irritated eyes as the festivities approach, turn to Looking Glass Optical. We offer treatments for dry eyes that can reduce discomfort and allow you to enjoy the season. If you want more holiday eye health ideas, contact us to learn more.
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