“Dry” eyes

[Sergeant Pluck]

When I ride in anything much below 10°C, my eyes produce copious amounts of tears, particularly the right. I had always assumed this was just a normal reaction, or over-reaction, to cold air. However, I mentioned it during a recent eye test and it turns out that this is due to my eyes not producing enough of certain oils, and the over-production of tears is an attempt to compensate for this. Blepharitis. Externally there is nothing visibly wrong and unless I am cycling I don’t experience problems.

Have any of you had this and what are the best solutions?

The optometrist at the time recommended some kind of kit to help with this, together with some massaging of the eyelid margins with cotton wool swabs. I didn’t get glasses from them in any case so didn’t get the kit. I see there are loads of such kits on Amazon etc - any recommendations?

Has anyone found cycling glasses that help? I do like my Rudy Projects but they don’t protect my eyes from airflow at all.

Any advice appreciated.

[campagman]

When I go out on cold days my left eye waters excessively. I asked an optician in M&S what he thought. Thought that the ducts around the eye could be blocked. Anyway, I got some Tesco Refreshing Eye Drops and they have helped a lot. Should probably use them more.

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[ian]

I'm pretty sure that eyes watering in those situations is perfectly normal.

You should have seen the tears that fountained out of my eyes the time I skied down Mount Purgatory (it's not a real mountain, somewhere in the San Juans). Admittedly, that was because I don't know how to ski and it was a long way down. Should have probably mentioned that.

But I think tears are normal in cold dry air.

[barakta]

I got told that I don't have enough oils in my tears by a neuro-ophthalmologist and recommended 2nd line eye drops after I'd tried 1st line ones without much success. I think I'm also supposed to take omega 3 supplements but I haven't obtained those. I had to argue to get the eyedrops from GP who wanted me to buy them - I argued consultant prescribed and if they want a turf fight not to have me in the middle kthxfuckoff etc.

I probably don't use the eye drops enough and need to get back in the habit. I do suffer from other symptoms of "dry eye". I do use screens too much (I can't now read print books without killer eye strain that lasts till a sleep reboots it so even leisure reading is screens).

[TPMB12]

I had an issue with blurred vision in my left eye,  usually at the end of the day. I got a health check at my opticians. It seems my tear ducts have been slightly blocked by oils in the ducts. I got given an eyedropper with s higher than normal concentration of the usual eyedropper chemical. However it's the eye cover that has some grain in it that you heat in the microwave then put over your eyes for 10 minutes.  Then you massage your eyelids and under your eyes.  The heat melts the oil blockages then you massage it out. You can see it blurring your vision. It doesn't work quickly but eventually you lose tree dry eyes after a few weeks.

The heat pack m is supposed to be good for blepharitis too.

BTW my issue was that you bonk every 12 seconds typically and the tear vision of your eye lasts 20 minutes typically.  So you should never have v dry eyes,  but the moisture covering my eye after every blink dried out in 6 seconds or less.  The heat pack worked for me.

[cygnet]

What shape of glasses do you have?

Eye shields can offer much more protection than trad shaped glasses, or a visor if you wear a helmet. Basically cover as much of your face as possible.

[Sergeant Pluck]

Thanks all.

But I think tears are normal in cold dry air.

Yes, but this is much more than normal watery eyes in cold weather. I can arrive at work, after a 45 min ride, and find my freshly put on shorts encrusted with salt marks from the drips.

I had an issue with blurred vision in my left eye,  usually at the end of the day. I got a health check at my opticians. It seems my tear ducts have been slightly blocked by oils in the ducts. I got given an eyedropper with s higher than normal concentration of the usual eyedropper chemical. However it's the eye cover that has some grain in it that you heat in the microwave then put over your eyes for 10 minutes.  Then you massage your eyelids and under your eyes.  The heat melts the oil blockages then you massage it out. You can see it blurring your vision. It doesn't work quickly but eventually you lose tree dry eyes after a few weeks.

The heat pack m is supposed to be good for blepharitis too.

Thanks, yes, the “dry eyes” is a bit of misdirection really; my eyes don’t actually ever get “dry” due to the reduced oils as presumably the compensatory over-production of tears kicks in to prevent it.

The eye cover + massage sounds exactly like what was recommended for me, albeit your issue is tear ducts, from what you say, and mine is the oil glands in the eyelids.

Shape of current glasses - they are Rudy Project Rydons, so very open. Airflow around the eyes doesn’t feel too much different from not wearing glasses.

A bit of googling throws these up, which have silicon shields that cut the wind completely. Has anyone tried any of these?

https://www.uksportseyewear.co.uk/section.php/60/1/moisture-chamber-glasses-dry-eyes-windproof/

[mrcharly-YHT]

I get dry eyes. Properly dry - can't open eyelids, my eyeballs have dried out completely and lids are stuck to eyeballs.

Optometrist gave me some medication - stuff like vaseline and special drops. It has really really helped.

[T42]

As I've said elsewhere, it's a visor on the helmet for me, plus a rain cover & winter skullcap to keep my head warm.  Nose doesn't run either.

[Lightning Phil]

I have dry eyes, astigmatism, and tight eyelids!  I wear Optilabs flow cycling glasses. Having not worn them for a while as they needed the prescription updating, I’ve have just had that done and got them back.   I can confirm no steaming up, or watering of eyes on todays 2 hour ride, which is a change as I get all of that watering eye stuff and steaming up with my normal glasses.

https://www.optilabs.com/product/flow/

[lissotriton]

If proper cold, I wear goggles. I have Oakley L Frame, they are designed to fit over glasses.
They stop my eyes from watering anyway. Though sometimes get the goggles steaming up.

[Sergeant Pluck]

It’s that time of year again. Both eyes at it equally now. On colder mornings, such as we had today, I get cold spots on my thighs where the tears have soaked through. Motorists next to me at the lights must wonder WTF.

As I've said elsewhere, it's a visor on the helmet for me, plus a rain cover & winter skullcap to keep my head warm.  Nose doesn't run either.

Do you mean TT-style face visor or the type used on MTB helmets?

[Auntie Helen]

BTW my issue was that you bonk every 12 seconds typically and the tear vision of your eye lasts 20 minutes typically.

Speak for yourself!