Dry eyes in winter and in air-conditioned rooms

Everyday life1 September 20264 min read

Many people first notice dry eyes during the heating season or in an air-conditioned office. The reason is straightforward: dry air accelerates tear-film evaporation.

Medically reviewed by the ophthalmic team of Lux Augenzentrum, Zurich· Last medically reviewed: 2026-09-15

Woman wearing a scarf beside a Swiss lake in winter, facing cold dry wind — Cold, dry air accelerates evaporation of the tear film.

What cold, heating and air conditioning do

Low relative humidity increases the evaporation rate at the ocular surface. Airflow from air conditioning, fans or car vents amplifies the effect, as does dry cabin air on flights and thin mountain air.

Anyone whose lipid layer is already unstable notices this strain much earlier, which is why winter often feels like the trigger even though the cause pre-dates it.

Measures that reliably help

Avoid directing airflow at your eyes, keep rooms from overheating, maintain humidity, drink enough, and wear well-fitting eyewear in cold or wind.

For screen work, deliberate blink breaks, a screen slightly below eye level and regular pauses help. Preservative-free tear substitutes can stabilise the surface further.

When seasonal symptoms become permanent

If symptoms persist beyond the heating season, worsen year on year, or come with reddened and sticky lid margins, more than a climate effect is usually involved – frequently meibomian gland dysfunction.

Objective assessment then makes sense: measuring tear film, lipid layer and gland structure shows which treatment genuinely fits.

This website provides general information and does not replace an individual ophthalmic examination, diagnosis or treatment. Outcomes vary between individuals. Seek urgent medical care for sudden pain, loss of vision or eye injury.

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