Eye health resources

Winter eye care: how to help protect your eyes in cold weather

Cold outdoor air and dry indoor heat can both pull moisture from the surface of your eyes, leaving them feeling dry, irritated, or uncomfortable, whether or not you wear contact lenses. The good news? A few simple winter eye care habits, along with some contact lens-specific know-how, can help you stay comfortable all season long.

Medically reviewed on October 6, 2026

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Updated on October 29, 2026

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5 minute read time

Winter eye care key takeaways

Cold, dry air outside and hot, dry air inside can cause eye discomfort during the winter
The sun continues to pose a UV risk during winter, so a hat and sunglasses are important, especially during winter sports like skiing
Artificial tears, indoor humidifiers and blinking can help combat eye dryness
You can still wear contact lenses in winter, and they won’t freeze to your eyes
Whether or not you wear contacts, the winter eye health tips remain the same—combating dryness and protecting from UV damage

How winter weather can affect your eyes

Cold winter air isn't just a shock to the senses—it also tends to be less humid than warmer summer air. This means it's able to draw out more of the moisture on the surface of your eye, potentially leading to feelings of dryness, or contributing to already-existing dry eye disease (DED).

Indoors, the warm air blowing out of your heating vents (at home or in the car) can irritate your eyes just as much as the cold air outside. You may experience dryness or irritation as the tear film on your eye evaporates in that low-humidity heated air.

How to help protect your eyes from cold air and wind

Since a main culprit for winter discomfort comes from tear evaporation, some of the most effective solutions help keep this from happening. Common approaches may include blocking wind, using artificial tears, and keeping your eyelids clear of blockages.

Sunglasses or ski goggles

In day-to-day life, sunglasses can do a pretty good job of shielding your eyes from wind. If you're into winter sports like hitting the slopes, ski goggles are a much better choice since they prevent air from flowing over your eyes entirely.

Artificial tears

Keeping artificial tears handy and using them often can help keep feelings of dryness at bay in windy, cold conditions. If you wear contact lenses, make sure to use eye drops approved for use with contacts.

Learn more about eye drops and contacts

Eyelid scrubs

A main component of your tears is oil, and the glands around your eyelids that secrete these oils can sometimes become clogged, contributing to dry eye symptoms. Gently scrubbing your lids with a warm washcloth wrapped around a finger (with eyes closed) can help prevent or treat this.

Protecting your eyes from the sun during winter

Light from the sun is the source of all life on the planet, but there’s a flipside—light on the ultraviolet (UV) spectrum can be damaging to your body’s cells. That’s why you get a sunburn if you’re outside without protection. Similarly, your eyes can be damaged by UV rays when they’re exposed for too long, potentially leading to long-term conditions like photokeratitis, cataracts, or macular degeneration.

The effects of UV exposure are often underestimated during winter, particularly during something like a ski trip. Sunlight and its UV rays reflects off snow, meaning light comes from both above and below. On cloudy days, UV rays still pass through clouds, so even if it isn't as bright, protection remains necessary. Skipping proper precautions outdoors in winter can even lead to a condition called snow blindness. Some common and effective means of protection from UV rays include:

Sunglasses

Throw on some sunglasses, and you're doing a great job of protecting your eyes from harmful UV radiation.

Ski goggles

We don't recommend wearing ski goggles in everyday life, but if you're hitting the slopes, they're great for providing protection from the elements—including for contact lens wearers. Double-check that your ski goggles offer UV blocking to make sure your eyes are protected.

Hat

A wide-brimmed hat is another simple way to help prevent UV exposure, since it helps shade your eyes. If you're outside in winter, even on an overcast day, a hat can still be a great idea.

Managing dry indoor air and heating

Sure, snow may be falling outside, but a cozy, heated home isn't automatically a safe haven for your eyes. The warm, dry air blowing out of indoor heating vents in your house or car can also cause irritation.

Artificial tears

Low humidity in winter affects your eyes whether you're in cold outdoor air or warm indoor air, so artificial tears can be a good option if you're feeling discomfort. If you wear contacts, look for tears approved for use with contact lenses.

Indoor humidifier

One of the best ways to fend off low humidity is to add humidity back into the air. This can help reduce tear film evaporation and stave off feelings of dryness.

Keep blinking

Most of us rack up a lot of screen time each day, and staring at digital screens has been found to cut down our blinking by as much as 60%. Blinking helps replenish tear film and reduce the blurry vision, fatigue, and dryness associated with digital eye strain. Set reminders if you have to—just remember to blink.

Can you wear contact lenses in winter?

Yes, you can wear contact lenses in cold weather, including in the snow. Contact lenses don't require any special winter accommodation to function—your cornea and tears keep them at a stable temperature, and the same everyday habits that protect your eyes from wind, dryness, and UV exposure apply whether or not you're wearing lenses. That said, contact lenses can speed up tear film evaporation, which may amplify the effect of winter air. If you notice this, keep contact lens-approved artificial tears with you, and consider a humidifier for time spent indoors.

Can contact lenses freeze?

They can't freeze on your eye

A common concern among contact lens wearers is whether their lenses will freeze to their eyes in cold, wintry weather. Rest assured, contacts won't freeze to your eyes because they're kept warm by the temperature of your cornea and tears.

They may freeze in their packaging

If a delivery of contact lenses is left outside on the porch overnight in freezing weather, they may freeze, which could compromise the packaging. The safest thing to do if the packaging is compromised would be to throw away the contact lenses in question. If it’s clear the packaging wasn’t compromised, they may be safe to use when thawed, but reach out to your eye doctor with any questions you may have.

When to reach out to an eye doctor

Occasional dryness or watering from wind and low humidity is common in winter. But if you experience persistent discomfort, redness, pain, unusual light sensitivity, or any changes in your vision, it's time to talk to your eye care professional. These symptoms could point to something beyond typical winter dryness, and an eye doctor can help identify the cause and the right next steps.

Find an eye doctor

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Can you wear contact lenses in cold weather?

Yes. Contact lenses stay at a safe, stable temperature thanks to the warmth of your cornea and tears, so cold weather alone doesn't affect how they perform on your eye.

Can you wear contact lenses in the snow?

Yes, contact lenses can be worn in the snow. Just be sure to pair them with sunglasses or UV-blocking ski goggles, since sunlight reflecting off snow increases UV exposure.

Can contact lenses freeze in your eyes?

No. Contacts won't freeze to your eyes because they're kept warm by the temperature of your cornea and tears.

What happens if contact lenses freeze during shipping?

If a lens delivery is exposed to freezing temperatures, the lenses may still be safe to wear, as long as the packaging isn't damaged. If this has occurred to your lenses, inspect them carefully to determine if the seal is intact. If there is any doubt, discard the lenses.

Do contact lenses dry out more in winter?

Low humidity, both outdoors in cold air and indoors from heating, can speed up tear film evaporation, which may make eyes and lenses feel drier. Contact lens-approved artificial tears and an indoor humidifier can help.

How should contact lenses be stored during cold weather?

Contact lenses should be stored per your eye doctor's instructions and the product labeling.

Should you wear goggles while skiing with contact lenses?

Yes. Ski goggles with UV blocking provide full protection from wind, cold air, and UV exposure, making them a strong choice for contact lens wearers hitting the slopes.

Footnotes

The information provided on this page and across the entire Acuvue.com experience is designed to offer educational insights into eye health, referencing expert advice from reputable medical and government organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Optometric Association and the National Eye Institute. While we research, report, and review the content on Acuvue.com and its extended social media to deliver accurate and up-to-date vision, vision care, and vision correction information, we do not make any assurances, and content accessed on or through Acuvue.com and its extended social media is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment of any eye conditions or health issues. This brings us to our #1 eye health tip: Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for personalized medical guidance and care.

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Winter eye care: how to help protect your eyes in cold weather

Winter eye care key takeaways

How winter weather can affect your eyes

How to help protect your eyes from cold air and wind

Sunglasses or ski goggles

Artificial tears

Eyelid scrubs

Protecting your eyes from the sun during winter

Sunglasses

Ski goggles

Hat

Managing dry indoor air and heating

Artificial tears

Indoor humidifier

Keep blinking

Can you wear contact lenses in winter?

Can contact lenses freeze?

They can't freeze on your eye

They may freeze in their packaging

When to reach out to an eye doctor

Frequently asked questions

Related content

8 Tips for protecting your eyes while wearing contacts

What to do when you can’t remove your contact lenses

Footnotes