Dry eye relief in Boise, Idaho

Dry eye relief in Boise is mainly a summer project. NOAA’s records put July afternoon humidity at about 20 percent, with almost no rain from June through August, and the city sits near 2,800 feet. Wear sunglasses outdoors, do hard outdoor work in the morning, keep car and home vents off your face and use a lubricating drop as directed. See an eye doctor for pain, vision changes or dryness that persists.

How dry is Boise?

Very dry for half the year. Boise’s official weather station is at the airport south of downtown, about 2,814 feet above sea level, and NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 climate normals record:

• About 11.5 inches of precipitation in a normal year, roughly a quarter of what falls in many East Coast cities.
• July averages 0.21 inches and August 0.17, and the three summer months together just over an inch.
• December is the wettest month, at 1.54 inches.
• About 17.6 inches of snow a year, most of it in December and January.

Summer afternoons near 20 percent

NOAA’s relative humidity table for Boise shows the dry season clearly. July afternoons average 20 percent, August 22, and June and September 28. Mornings are about double that, near 49 percent in July. Add a normal July high of 92.7°F, about 55 days a year at 90°F or above and roughly 9 days at 100°F or more, and the air pulls water from the eye’s surface quickly.

That’s why eyes can feel fine on an early run along the Boise River Greenbelt and gritty by the afternoon commute. Ways to adjust in summer:

• Get yard work, foothills hikes and long rides done in the morning, when humidity is higher and it’s cooler.
• Wear wraparound sunglasses on the Ridge to Rivers trails, where wind and dust add up on exposed ridgelines.
• Take sunglasses when floating the river; glare off moving water keeps you squinting for hours.
• Point car vents at your chest, and use recirculate on dusty roads.
• At a desk, take regular screen breaks, since air-conditioned air is drier still.

Big daily swings at elevation

Dry air and clear skies let Boise cool sharply at night. A normal July day runs from about 62°F at dawn to nearly 93°F in the afternoon. In practice that means windows open at night and air conditioning by day in many homes, with the air drying out at both ends. A fan blowing across the bed through a summer night is a common source of dry eyes in the morning. Aim it at your feet or the wall instead.

Winter: damp outside, heated inside

Winter turns the humidity around. December and January afternoons average 70 percent in NOAA’s table, and the Treasure Valley often sits under gray, cold air. Still, Boise records about 108 nights a year at or below freezing and a normal January high of 38.8°F, so the furnace runs for months. Heated indoor air has low relative humidity even when it’s damp outside.

Skiing at Bogus Basin adds cold wind and glare from the snow. Goggles seal out wind better than sunglasses on the lift. At home, a humidifier in the bedroom and keeping a space heater a few feet away both help. See our guide on dry air, wind and altitude for more on why elevation and dry air add up.

Spring wind

NOAA’s wind table shows Boise’s breeziest month is April and its calmest is January. Spring winds across the valley pick up dust from fields and construction sites, and they arrive just as afternoon humidity starts falling, from 43 percent in March to 36 percent in April. Glasses outdoors and a brim on your hat help on the windiest days.

What Quell is and how to use it

Quell is a preservative-free lubricating drop designed to reinforce the tear film’s oil layer to help reduce moisture loss, which is the same moisture loss a 20 percent July afternoon speeds up. Its Drug Facts label states it’s For use as a protectant against further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye. Directions: Apply 1 drop 3 times per day in each eye. Always: Do not touch tip of bottle to any surface to avoid contamination. And before your first order, read the caution: Caution should be used in those with egg or bird allergies — For use in the eyes only.

A Boise car in July is the main storage hazard. The label says: Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). A dashboard in the airport parking lot will run far hotter, so keep the bottle in a bag that comes inside. The full label is on the Drug Facts page.

Ordering to Boise

Quell ships from Brentwood, Tennessee, to Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Eagle and the rest of Idaho. Checkout is guest-only and quick, shipping is $10.00, and 3 or more bottles ship free. You’ll get a tracking email; no delivery date is promised, so order before the bottle is nearly empty. In summer, bring a delivered package inside rather than letting it sit on a hot porch. See the Boise page and the Idaho page.

When drops aren’t the answer

Drops are for everyday dryness. Eyes that ache, blur or stay irritated need a professional to work out the cause. The label sets the limit: Stop use and ask a doctor if you feel eye pain or changes in your vision, if irritation or redness continues, or if the condition worsens or persists for 72 hours. Dust or grit that won’t rinse out with blinking, or an injury on the trail, is a reason to get seen.