Vision Institute of Michigan Gives Important Information on Winter Eye Safety

DETROIT - Dec. 19, 2015 - PRLog -- Eye safety may be the last thing people think about during the winter, but eye injury and irritation can actually occur just as easily in January or February as in July.

Between outdoor winter activities such as skiing or hiking, to simply relaxing next to the fire, it’s important to be aware of how surroundings can affect eye health when it’s cold outside.

“We usually associate eye safety with the spring and summer months, but it’s extremely important to take precautions year-round,” said Dr. Jay Novetsky, Medical Director, Vision Institute of Michigan. “Simply wearing sunglasses during the winter can prevent or slow down eye conditions such as cataracts, cancer and wrinkles.”

To ensure eyes stay healthy during the winter, it is important to keep them moist, wear sunglasses with UV protection, and wear goggles during outdoor activities.

Heat or air circulation from a fire or heater can cause eyes to be dry and irritated. Sitting farther away from heat sources, using a humidifier to increase moisture in the air or using artificial tears to alleviate dryness can combat eye irritation.

The cold months can actually be more harmful to eyes than when the weather is warm, because snow doubles the sun’s effect. During the winter, snow and ice reflect 80 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays in addition to the UV rays entering your eyes directly from the sun. It is important to protect eyes by wearing sunglasses with UV protection that block 99 to 100 percent of UV light.

When taking part in any outdoor winter activity, including skiing, snowboarding or snowshoeing, it’s very easy for debris such as dirt, bark, slush and ice to get in eyes. While wearing sunglasses will help, goggles provide maximum protection, combat the wind and cold, and can also provide UV protection.

The risk of eye damage during the cold months is highest in late winter and early spring, when days are getting longer.

The Vision Institute of Michigan provides a standard of excellence in personalized care that enables its board certified doctors and staff to provide the quality eye care and cosmetic services that its Detroit area patients deserve.  It provides comprehensive treatment planning and follows strict standards that ensure treatment or surgery will go smoothly and provide desirable results.

VIM continues to offer the latest advancements in technology in cataracts, laser, glaucoma, cosmetic and retina care, and much more.

About the Vision Institute Of Michigan

The Vision Institute of Michigan is among the top 10% of eye centers in the world to offer patients the safety, precision and accuracy of the LENSAR Laser System. The LENSAR also makes laser correction of astigmatism now possible with more precise and predictable laser-guided application.

For more information or media inquiries, please contact Sherrie Handrinos at SherrieHandrinos@gmail.com or 734-341-6859