Dry eyes in Lubbock

Lubbock’s eyes have wind to contend with more than anything. The National Weather Service office in Lubbock recorded an average wind speed of 13.7 mph across April 2026, with a gust of 64 mph on April 1, in a month that saw 0.16 inches of rain. Moving, dry air speeds evaporation from the eye. Quell’s directions stay the same: Apply 1 drop 3 times per day in each eye.

Wind on the South Plains

The Llano Estacado is about as flat as land gets, and there’s nothing between Lubbock and the horizon to slow the wind down. That shapes daily life: trash cans get weighed down, trampolines get staked, and anyone who has lived through a spring here knows the sound of grit against a window.

NWS Lubbock’s monthly climate reports put numbers to it. Here’s how two recent months compare:

• April 2026: average wind 13.7 mph; strongest gust 64 mph out of the southwest on April 1; 0.16 inches of rain against a 1991–2020 normal of 1.33 inches; average relative humidity 45 percent.
• October 2026: average wind 9.8 mph; strongest gust 43 mph out of the north on October 16; average relative humidity 70 percent; normal rainfall for the month 1.53 inches.

So spring runs windier and drier than fall, and that matches what people notice in their eyes. An April afternoon with a southwest wind and humidity in the 40s is a very different day from a damp October morning after a front comes through.

Dust from open fields

Lubbock is surrounded by cotton country, and in late winter and spring much of that farmland lies bare between harvest and planting. A strong wind over open ground lifts dust into the air, and on the worst days visibility on the Marsha Sharp Freeway drops and the sky goes brown. Dust doesn’t just dry the eye; it adds particles to a surface that’s already short on moisture.

• On high-wind days, keep your face out of the wind where you can: park so you walk with the wind at your back, and use building entrances on the sheltered side.
• Glasses or sunglasses with wide frames block some of the grit; wraparound styles block more.
• Set the car to recirculate when you’re driving through blowing dust, and aim the vents at your chest instead of your eyes.
• Wash your hands after time outdoors before using your drops, and keep the cap on the bottle whenever it isn’t in your hand.

Game days, harvest and long outdoor hours

Fall in Lubbock means Texas Tech football at Jones AT&T Stadium, tailgates in open parking lots, and for many families, cotton harvest. All of it means hours outside with the wind on your face. A dose of Quell before you head out is a reasonable use of one of your three drops, and a second when you’re back inside lines up with the directions. Bring the bottle in a pocket or bag rather than leaving it in the truck, because a cab sitting in the sun can climb past Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F).

Inside, the air works against you too

Winter fronts drop temperatures fast on the plains, and once the furnace kicks on, indoor air dries out. Classrooms, dorms and offices around town run forced-air heat for months. If your desk sits under a vent, ask whether it can be redirected, or move the chair a little. Winter heating and dry eyes covers the home side.

What Quell does and what the label says

The tear film’s outer oil layer slows evaporation from the watery layer beneath it. Quell is designed to reinforce that oil layer to help reduce moisture loss, using Glycerol (1.0%), Polysorbate 80 (1.0%) and Light Mineral Oil (0.5%) as its active ingredients. Its label says it’s For use as a protectant against further irritation or to relieve dryness of the eye.

Before a first bottle, read the caution that matters most for some people: Caution should be used in those with egg or bird allergies — For use in the eyes only. Quell contains emu oil, and the Drug Facts page has the full panel.

Getting Quell in Lubbock

Orders ship from Brentwood, Tennessee, to addresses anywhere in the United States, Lubbock included. Shipping is $10.00 on smaller orders and free once you buy 3 bottles. See the Lubbock page and the Texas page for local details.

If your eyes don’t settle after the wind does

A windy week can leave your eyes uncomfortable, and they usually feel better once the air calms. If they don’t, see an optometrist or ophthalmologist. The label lays out when to stop: 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.