Ophthalmologist explained the causes of lacrimation in winter

Lacrimation in the cold is most often associated with the reaction of the eye to cold and dry air, however, in some cases it may indicate dryness, allergies or an inflammatory process. Karina Kozina, a specialist at the Vision ophthalmological center, told Izvestia on February 20.

According to her, in winter, the stability of the tear film, a thin protective layer on the surface of the eye, is disrupted by low humidity and wind. Cold air accelerates the evaporation of moisture, the surface of the eye dries up, and the body triggers a protective mechanism in the form of reflex lacrimation.

The tear film consists not only of an aqueous, but also of a lipid phase, which slows down evaporation. In the cold and in the wind, it becomes less stable: the eye may first dry out, and then begin to actively water. At the same time, the feeling of dryness often persists even with copious tears. Additionally, cold can cause spasm of the lacrimal tract, which disrupts the normal outflow of tears and they begin to flow out.

"This is usually the norm if tears appear in the cold or in the wind, but decrease quickly indoors. At the same time, there is no pain, pronounced pain, or visual impairment. There is a reason to be wary if lacrimation has become permanent and persists at home or indoors, interferes with work and reading, increases from day to day or is noticeably expressed only on one side," she stressed.

An additional risk factor in winter is the wearing of contact lenses: they change the distribution of tear film and can increase moisture evaporation.

"If the lenses get worse, pauses and shorter wearing time outside on windy days help. Good moisturizing drops compatible with soft contact lenses can also help," she said.

For prevention, an ophthalmologist advises protecting your eyes from the wind with glasses or a hood, and using moisturizers in advance, rather than after symptoms appear.

"It is a common mistake to drip redness remedies with vasoconstrictive effect. They do not solve the tear film problem and can increase dryness. If it hasn't gotten any easier in a week or there are worrying signs, it's better to come for an examination," she concluded.

On February 19, Olga Popkova, a pediatric ophthalmologist at the SM Clinic for Children, said that irritability, anxiety, and decreased academic performance may indicate vision problems. In addition, she said that the most common disorders that are diagnosed in children are refractive errors: myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness), astigmatism. There are also violations of the joint work of the eyes and focusing — strabismus and amblyopia (lazy eye syndrome).

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