Dry eye relief in Portland, Maine

Dry eye relief in Portland, Maine, is mostly about the heating season. Outdoor air off Casco Bay stays fairly humid all year, but NOAA counts about 144 freezing nights at the Jetport, so furnaces, boilers and wood stoves dry indoor air for half the year. Humidify where you sleep, sit back from the stove, wear sunglasses in the wind and use a lubricating drop as labeled. Pain or vision changes need an eye doctor.

A humid coast with a very long winter

Portland International Jetport, about 45 feet above sea level on the edge of the Fore River, is the city’s official station. NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals show a climate that is damp and cold rather than dry:

• About 48.1 inches of precipitation a year, with October the wettest month at 5.25 inches.
• About 68.7 inches of snow in a normal winter. January brings 18.6 inches, February 16.6, December 14.6 and March 13.6.
• A January that runs from about 16°F before dawn to a 32.4°F high.
• Nearly 41 days a year when the temperature never climbs above freezing, and close to 7 nights at or below zero.
• Only about 5 days a year at 90°F or hotter.

NOAA’s humidity table backs up the damp reputation. Portland’s afternoon humidity averages 59 percent across the year, and even its driest month, April, averages 54 percent in the afternoon. September mornings reach 84 percent.

Why do my eyes get so dry in a Maine winter?

Because the air you breathe for most of the winter isn’t outdoor air. With frost on about 144 nights a year and snow on the ground for long stretches, Portland homes heat from fall into spring. Heating cold air without adding water lowers its relative humidity, so a living room warmed by a wood stove, a pellet stove or a forced-air furnace can feel far drier than the snowy street outside.

Some practical changes for a long heating season:

• Run a humidifier in the bedroom, and clean it as the manual says so it doesn’t grow anything.
• Sit several feet from a wood or pellet stove, and not directly in the path of its fan.
• Close or redirect floor registers that blow toward a bed, desk or reading chair.
• Set the car heat to the floor and windshield, not the face vents, on a cold morning commute.
• Take a few minutes outside on milder days; the outdoor air is often gentler on the eyes than the house.

Our guide to winter heating and dry eyes has more ideas, and fireplaces, candles and dry eyes covers open flames and stoves.

Wind off Casco Bay

NOAA’s wind table for Portland peaks in March and is calmest in July and August. A March walk along the Eastern Promenade, a ride on an island ferry, or an afternoon at the lighthouses in Cape Elizabeth can mean steady, cold wind straight off the water. Wind pulls moisture from the tear film, and cold wind often makes eyes water as a reflex.

• Wraparound sunglasses help on the ferry deck, even on gray days.
• A hat with a brim and a scarf pulled up cut how much wind reaches your face.
• Turn your back to the gusts while you wait on the dock.
• If you work on the water, ask your eye doctor about protective eyewear that suits the job.

Snow days and storms

A nor’easter brings blowing snow, and shoveling or snowblowing puts fine ice crystals and cold wind in your face for an hour or more. Goggles or wraparound glasses make a real difference. Sun on fresh snow adds glare too, which makes people squint and blink less. Our guide on dry eyes when shoveling snow covers the details.

Summer in Portland

Summers are mild and comfortable, with a normal July high of 79.5°F. Outdoor air rarely feels dry, but air-conditioned offices, long drives up Route 1 with the vents blowing and days on the water in bright sun can still leave eyes uncomfortable. Point vents away from your face and keep sunglasses in the car.

About Quell

Quell is a preservative-free lubricating drop designed to reinforce the tear film’s oil layer to help reduce moisture loss. Its label states the Uses as For use as a protectant against further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye, with these directions: Apply 1 drop 3 times per day in each eye. The label also cautions: Caution should be used in those with egg or bird allergies — For use in the eyes only.

Storage matters in Maine. The label says: Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F). A bottle left in a car at the Jetport parking lot in January can drop well below that range, so bring it in with you. The full panel is on our Drug Facts page.

Ordering Quell to Portland, Maine

Orders ship from Brentwood, Tennessee, to Portland, South Portland, Westbrook, the islands and the rest of Maine. Guest checkout means no account, shipping is $10.00, and 3 or more bottles ship free. A tracking email follows; no delivery date is promised, and winter storms can slow any package, so order before you run low. The Portland, Maine page and the Maine page have more.

When to see an eye doctor

Seasonal dryness is common, but eyes that keep bothering you deserve an exam. The label says: 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. If an eye hurts, something got into it while you were clearing snow, or your sight changes, see a doctor promptly.