How the common cold can affect your eyes

Nothing can put a damper on all your resolutions and keep you away from the gym like a cold. Regardless of where you live, what activities you do every day, and how healthy you are, a cold virus can bring anyone to their knees.

Did you know that the sneezing, coughing, and fever that accompany a cold can also impact your eyes? See how the common cold can affect your eyes and how you can protect yourself during the cold season (and all year long).

How the common cold spreads

Viruses that cause colds can travel easily from person to person. When infected individuals cough or sneeze, droplets are released into the air or onto the hands used to cover their mouths. Other people can get infected by breathing in the droplets or by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching their mouth, nose, or eyes.

While you can catch a cold anytime throughout the year, some viruses tend to circulate more in the winter. Plus, during the winter months, people tend to spend more time indoors in close contact with people, such as family gatherings over the holidays. This makes winter a common time to catch a cold.

How colds affect the eyes

Did you know that in addition to the normal symptoms of a common cold, colds can also negatively affect your eyes? Colds can cause watery eyes, and it’s also not uncommon to get an eye infection, such as pink eye, alongside a common cold.

The common cold and pink eye

One of the most common eye conditions associated with colds and the flu is conjunctivitis, otherwise known as pink eye. 

Pink eye can cause various symptoms, including: 

• Pink or red eyes

• Watery eyes

• Discharge from the eyes

• Crusty eyelids, which can make it difficult to open your eyes when waking up

• Light sensitivity

A number of things can cause pink eye, such as chemical or smoke exposure, bacteria in the eye, or a viral infection. When you have a cold, the cold virus can infect your eyes and cause pink eye. 

Cold viruses can spread to the eyes in a few ways:

• Droplets can get into the eyes when an infected person coughs.

• The virus can travel from the throat and nasal passages to the tear ducts and eyes.

For example, a common way someone can get pink eye is when kids (or adults, for that matter) blow their noses and then later rub their eyes.

Treatment for pink eye

If you do get viral pink eye from a cold virus, these tips can help keep your eyes comfortable:

• For relief from viral pink eye, you can try placing a cold compress or a damp cloth over your eyes for a while.

• If your eyes are feeling irritated from viral pink eye, you can try using non-medicated eye drops, which are also called artificial tears.

Anytime you have pink eye, it’s important to practice good hygiene so you don’t spread your infection to those around you. Make sure to wash your hands often, avoid touching your eyes, and avoid sharing personal items.

If your pink eye is persisting for more than a couple weeks or getting worse, schedule an appointment with your VSP^® network eye doctor.

The common cold and watery eyes

Another eye symptom you may experience alongside a cold is watery eyes.

The common cold can cause inflammation of the nasal cavity and sinuses, which can lead to blockage of the nasolacrimal duct. This duct is important for draining tears out of the eyes and into the nasal cavity.

Because colds are generally transient, watery eyes often go away on their own. You might also try nasal decongestants and saline sprays to help reduce congestion. If a sinus infection is causing your watery eyes, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to help resolve the infection.

How to protect your eyes during cold season

Our eyes are sensitive, so it’s important to care for them as best you can, especially during cold and flu season.

Here are a few ways you can help protect your eyes when you have a cold:

• Wash your hands often, especially before touching your eyes.

• Don’t share personal items like bedding, towels, or makeup with someone who has pink eye.

• Avoid rubbing your eyes. Rubbing your eyes will only make things worse and could introduce an infection. Plus, if one eye is already infected, you can spread it to the other eye.

• Follow proper contact lens care guidelines.

Still feeling the symptoms?

Remember, it’s always a good idea to visit your eye doctor if your eyes are feeling the effects of your cold and aren’t getting better on their own, or if you notice any changes with your eyes or vision.

We wish you a healthy cold and flu season.

 This article previously appeared on VSP, Delta Dental of Tennessee’s DeltaVision® partner.