If your eyes feel gritty, irritated, red, or watery this January, you're not imagining it. It is not just the weather, and it is not something you need to live with. Winter air, indoor heating, long hours on screens, and cold winds all pull moisture from the surface of your eyes. That can lead to symptoms often labelled as dry eye. And while the name can be misleading, dry eye is often treatable with the right evaluation and personalized care.
Why Winter Dry Eye Happens
During the colder months, the air outside is cold and dry, especially when wind whips across exposed skin and eyes. Once you head indoors, heating systems reduce the humidity even further. That creates the perfect environment for faster tear evaporation.
If you spend long hours on screens at work or at home, you probably blink less often. Blinking helps spread fresh tears across the eye surface. When your blink rate slows, the tear film does not refresh as frequently, which causes your eyes to dry out more quickly.
For contact lens wearers, all of this can make lenses feel uncomfortable sooner in the day. That can leave you feeling like you are just getting through the day instead of seeing clearly and comfortably.
Common Symptoms Totowa Patients Don’t Expect
Even though this pattern happens every winter, many people don’t connect their symptoms to dry eye. Typical signs include:
- Eyes that sting, burn, feel scratchy, or feel uncomfortable
- Sudden watery eyes without clear environmental triggers
- Redness or irritation that does not go away
- Fluctuating or blurry vision throughout the day
- Contact lenses that feel dry, itchy, or irritated earlier than usual
These symptoms are your eyes telling you that your tear film is unstable or not producing enough moisture.
When It’s Time to Pay Totowa Eyecare a Visit
If your symptoms continue for more than a few weeks, or if you rely on over-the-counter drops without lasting improvement, it is time for a dry eye evaluation. Additional signs you may benefit from in-office care include:
- Eye discomfort that interferes with reading, driving, or using screens
- Needing eye drops multiple times a day to stay comfortable
- Contact lenses that feel uncomfortable long before the end of the day
A dry eye evaluation looks at tear quality, oil gland function, and blinking habits to find the underlying cause of your symptoms.
IPL for Dry Eye Relief
If you’re reaching for artificial tears all day long and still feeling irritated, it may be time to look beyond symptom control and address what’s driving the dryness. As Dr. Rasraj Rana explains, “Artificial tears are good, but it’s kind of like taking a cough drop… it’ll give you mild symptom relief, but it’s not going to actually treat anything.”
One treatment that targets a common root cause of dry eye is IPL (intense pulsed light). Dry eye often involves inflammation and oil gland dysfunction along the eyelids, which can make tears evaporate too quickly and leave the eyes feeling gritty, watery, or uncomfortable in contact lenses. IPL uses gentle pulses of light to help calm inflammation and support healthier tear function over time.
What to know about IPL at Totowa Eyecare:
- IPL is an FDA-approved treatment, and it is designed to be safe around the eyes when performed properly. In Dr. Rana’s words, “It is safe for the eyes… it’s an FDA-approved treatment.”
- It is not usually a one-and-done fix. Most patients need a series of treatments to get the best results.
- A common plan is four sessions spaced about two weeks apart. Dr. Rana notes that many people “don’t notice much relief until after the second session,” with bigger improvements often showing up after the third and fourth visits.
- Results can be long-lasting, and many patients return for maintenance treatment about once a year (sometimes twice a year, depending on severity).
- Candidacy can depend on skin type, since IPL settings are chosen carefully based on factors like melanin levels.
How Speciality Dry Eye Care Can Help
Dry eye is often a chronic condition, but that does not mean you have to tolerate it. Many patients find that a structured, personalized plan helps reduce irritation, improve tear quality, and make everyday tasks like screen time and contact lens wear more comfortable.
As Dr. Rasraj Rana shares, “We’ll do what’s called an ocular surface evaluation… and then we can come up with the proper treatment plan to get to the root cause of the disease.”
Your visit may include:
A conversation about symptoms, screen time habits, hormone changes, and contact lens comfort
Testing to evaluate tear stability, inflammation, and oil gland function
A customized treatment plan designed around your exam findings and lifestyle needs
Depending on what your testing shows, treatment may include targeted in-office therapies offered at Totowa Eyecare, such as:
- IPL (intense pulsed light) to help address eyelid inflammation and support healthier oil gland function
- Radiofrequency (RF) therapy to gently warm and support the eyelid area for improved gland performance
- Low-level light therapy is designed to support the ocular surface and eyelid health as part of a broader plan
These options are not one-size-fits-all, which is why the evaluation matters—so your plan matches what is actually happening on the surface of your eyes.
Start the Year Seeing and Feeling Your Best
January is a smart time to review your insurance and vision benefits. Many plans refresh at the start of the year, which may make it a good time to address ongoing eye comfort concerns and schedule the care you’ve been putting off. If you’re unsure what your plan includes, our team can help you review your options.
If your eyes have been irritated, watery, or blurry this winter, you don’t have to wait it out. A proper dry eye evaluation from our Totowa team can help you find lasting relief and protect the surface of your eyes in the months ahead.
Request your appointment now and let 2026 be the year your vision feels as good as it looks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my eyes water more in the winter?
- Cold wind and dry indoor air can trigger reflex tearing. Your eyes overproduce poor-quality tears in response to irritation caused by dryness.
Can I still have dry eye if my eyes are watering?
- Yes. Watery eyes are a common symptom of dry eye. It means your tear film is unstable, and your eyes are trying to compensate.
What is the best treatment for winter dry eye?
- It depends on the cause. A dry eye evaluation helps identify what your eyes need, whether it is better tear quality, gland support, or changes to your screen or contact lens habits.
Do over-the-counter drops fix dry eye?
- They can provide temporary relief but often don’t address the root cause. If you rely on them daily without improvement, it’s time for a proper assessment.
When should I see an optometrist for dry eye?
- If symptoms last more than a few weeks, interfere with daily life, or affect your contact lens wear, book an appointment to get the care your eyes need.