Keep Your Eyes Healthy This Winter

Posted on May 26, 2023 (May 26, 2023) by Dr. Holly Ternus

Eyes can even get sunburnt in the winter because snow and ice reflect 80% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays, even in overcast weather. Your eyes are most at risk between the hours of 10am and 3pm when UV rays are at their strongest.

It is easy to remember to wear your stylish sunglasses during the summer at the beach pool, but how many of you remember to wear them during the winter when we spend most of our time indoors?

Here are 4 ways to keep your eyes safe and healthy this winter season.

Wear sunglasses with UV protection
Wear a Hat
A hat blocks out the sun’s harmful rays which in turn keeps your eyes protected and can even keep your skin looking younger. Wide brimmed hats are optimal for protection. Remember that UV rays can be just as harmful from behind a cloud as they are on a bright sunny day.
Wear Googles
If you are active outside or do any kind of extreme winter sport such as skiing or snowboarding, you have a high risk of getting debris in your eyes. Googles will prevent this, and can have the added bonus of UV protection as well.
Keep Your Eyes Moist
Have eye drops on hand for whenever your eyes get dried out or irritated by the cold. Cold dry wind can irritate your eyes as well as dry heated indoor air. It is important to keep rewetting eye drops on hand to manage uncomfortable dry eye. It is best to avoid drops like Visine that constrict your blood vessels to make your eyes white. Overuse of such drops can result in ‘rebound’ redness of your eyes. Try to choose drops that are designed for rewetting only.

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Written by Dr. Holly Ternus

Dr. Holly Ternus is originally from Torrington, Wyoming, and graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in biological sciences. She graduated with Honors from The New England College of Optometry and completed internships with Honors at South Boston Community Health Center with an emphasis in glaucoma and narrow-angle glaucoma, Togus Veterans Affairs Medical Center with an emphasis in ocular disease, Lifetime Eyecare in Houston fitting specialty contact lenses, and Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio.

Dr. Ternus practiced with ophthalmology in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, specializing in ocular disease, dry eye disease, and emergency care. She then transitioned into primary care, fitting specialty contacts for keratoconus, post-RK, corneal ectasia, and irregular corneas.

Dr. Ternus is an active member of the Nebraska Optometric Association, American Optometry Association, and American Academy of Optometry. She received her fellowship with the American Academy of Optometry in 2018 and is a graduate of the Nebraska Optometric Association’s Leadership Institute. She also received her fellowship in the Scleral Lens Education Society and is the first in Nebraska to have completed this honor.

Outside of work, Dr. Ternus enjoys spending time with her husband and 2 children, snowboarding, skiing, water sports, watching Husker football, and everything that involves being outdoors.

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