Winters in San Antonio may be mild compared with much of the country, but they can still be tough on your eyes. Dry cold fronts, indoor heating, and the arrival of cedar season can leave eyes burning, gritty, or watery. If you find yourself reaching for drops more often each winter, a comprehensive eye exam can help determine whether seasonal irritation is masking a more persistent problem.
For patients in San Antonio, Texas, understanding what is driving your symptoms is the first step toward relief for dry eyes that lasts beyond the next bottle of drops.
Why Do Dry Eye Symptoms Get Worse in Winter?
Your tear film depends on a balance of water, mucus, and oil, and winter conditions can disrupt that balance from several directions. Northerly winds and low humidity speed up tear evaporation, while forced-air heating dries the air indoors. Screen time also tends to reduce how often you blink.
Common dry eye symptoms include burning or stinging, a gritty or sandy feeling, redness, blurry or fluctuating vision, and eyes that feel worse late in the day. Watery eyes can also be a sign of dry eye, since irritation can trigger reflex tearing that does not lubricate the eye effectively.
Is It Dry Eye or Winter Eye Allergies?
Locally, mountain cedar pollen typically arrives in December and peaks in January, bringing itchy, watery eyes along with sneezing and congestion. Winter eye allergies and dry eye share several symptoms, and they often overlap. Itching tends to point toward allergies, while burning and grittiness are more typical of dry eye.
The distinction matters because some allergy treatments can make dryness worse. Oral antihistamines, for example, can reduce tear production in some people. An evaluation can help sort out which condition is driving your discomfort, or whether both need attention.
What Can Over-the-Counter Eye Drops Do?
Over-the-counter eye drops can be a helpful first step. Lubricating artificial tears add moisture to the eye’s surface and may temporarily ease mild symptoms, and preservative-free versions are often recommended for people who use drops several times a day.
Not all dry eye drops are alike, however. Redness-relief drops can provide a quick cosmetic improvement but may lead to rebound redness with frequent use, and they do not address the cause of dryness. If you need artificial tears more than a few times a day, or if symptoms keep returning despite regular use, it may be time to look deeper.
When Is In-Office Winter Dry Eye Treatment Worth Considering?
Many cases of chronic dry eye are linked to meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), a condition in which the oil glands along the eyelids become blocked or stop working properly. Without enough healthy oil, tears evaporate too quickly, and drops alone may not keep up.
The Dry Eye Spa at the Shavano Park office begins with an evaluation of your tear film, eyelids, meibomian glands, and ocular surface. Based on the findings, a winter dry eye treatment plan may include heat mask therapy, lid hygiene programs, punctal plugs to help retain natural tears, or amniotic membranes for more significant surface damage. Patients from the Potranco office can be referred to Shavano Park for this care.
How Does IPL for Dry Eye Work?
Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy delivers controlled pulses of light to the skin around the eyelids to help reduce inflammation and improve meibomian gland function. In 2021, the FDA granted authorization to a Lumenis IPL device for improving signs of dry eye disease due to MGD in appropriate patients.
At the Dry Eye Spa, IPL for dry eye is typically delivered as a series of four sessions and combined with other therapies, such as gland expression and at-home care. Many patients notice gradual improvement in comfort over the course of treatment, and follow-up visits help maintain results. Your evaluation will determine whether IPL is appropriate for your eyes.
Find Lasting Dry Eye Relief This Winter
If over-the-counter drops are no longer keeping up, Lauren Alexander Vision Source can help you understand what is causing your symptoms and build a plan aimed at longer-lasting dry eye relief.