Eyes watering in the cold? Here’s the intriguing reason why – and how to fix it

From dry skin to red hands and lots of layers, there’s plenty of discomfort that comes with winter.

And if you’ve noticed your eyes start to water as soon as you step outside, you’re not alone.

Eye experts told DailyMail.com that eye watering during the winter is completely normal, and a number of simple remedies can alleviate it.

It’s well known that cold air dries out the skin due to the lack of humidity or moisture in the atmosphere.

This leads to dehydration in the tissues, causing skin to crack and become flaky.

The winter chill has a similar effect on your eyes.  

The eyes water in cold weather due to an overreaction from the body’s tear reflex, which happens when the eyes become too dry

Dr Michael Brusco, an ophthalmologist at Brusco Vision in Virginia, told DailyMail.com: ‘It sounds counterintuitive, but the reason our eyes water so much when it gets cold outside is because our eyes are drying out.’

This is what doctors call ‘dry eye syndrome’, which is thought to affect 16 million Americans every year, according to the National Eye Institute.

When you step outside, the cold air strips the eyes of moisture, which means the tear ducts struggle to produce enough tears.

Tears are necessary not just for a good cry, but keeping the eyes wet and smooth and helping promote clear vision. 

Additionally, tears form a protective sheath over the outermost layer of the eye, the cornea, to guard against harmful contaminents like dirt and dust.

‘The cold air is so dry that it can cause the moisturizing tear film of the eye to evaporate.’

This triggers an overreaction in the eye known as the tear reflex. Signals sent between nerves in the back of the eye and the brain trigger the production of excess tears to compensate for the dryness. 

‘When it’s very cold and windy, this reflex is working overtime and there can be excessive tearing,’ Dr Brusco said. 

Creams and moisturizers applied to the eye area – as many do to soothe dry skin in the winter -could also cause eye watering.

Creams that irritate the delicate skin around the eye can trigger an inflammatory response, causing them to water. 

Some are more prone to dry eye syndrome than others.

For example, Dr Brusco said that people who work in front of a computer screen all day have a thinner or lower quality tear film over their eyes because their eyes are so strained.

‘This will thin out then the tear film so that when they do go outside it won’t take as long for the dry cold air to cause tearing,’ he said. 

Additionally, makeup and other irritants can clog glands on the eyelids called meibomian glands, which can wear away at the tear film. 

Though annoying, Dr Brusco said that winter eye watering is generally harmless.

However, Dr Ronald L Benner, president of the American Optometric Association, told DailyMail.com that if symptoms last for long periods of time, it’s best to visit your eye doctor. 

‘Advanced dry eyes may damage the front surface of the eye and impair vision, so it’s important to get it checked out,’ he said.  

Dr Yunna Rapoport, an ophthalmologist at Manhattan Eye, suggests using preservative-free artificial tears to remoisturize your eyes.

She also recommended putting a warm compress over your eyes for a few minutes at a time. This provides moisture and heat, which alleviates dry eye and can prevent excessive watering.

‘Wearing sunglasses outside as a barrier to protect the eyes against the harsh environment can be an effective solution,’ Dr Brusco said. 

And staying hydrated keeps the eyes moist and reduces the risk of them becoming inflamed.