Dry eyes on the golf course

A round of golf dries the eyes because it keeps you outdoors for hours in sun and wind, with long stretches of focused staring over putts and approach shots. A cart ride adds a steady breeze to the face. Wraparound sunglasses, a cap, drops at the turn with clean hands, and a bottle kept out of a hot trunk make the round easier on your eyes.

Why do my eyes get dry playing golf?

Golf courses are built to be open. Fairways, ranges and greens give the wind a clear run, and most of a round is spent in direct sun. Several things work on your eyes at once:

• Time outdoors. Eighteen holes keeps you out for hours, often in the middle of the day.
• Wind. A breeze you barely notice on the tee is still moving air across your eyes the whole time.
• Concentration. Reading a green or lining up a putt, you hold your gaze still and blink less.
• Glare. Bright sky, white sand and water hazards all reflect light, and squinting against it is tiring.
• Sweat and sunscreen. On a hot day, both can run down your forehead into your eyes and sting.

Sun, glare and sunglasses on the course

Sunglasses help with both glare and wind, and wraparound frames block air coming from the side, which flat frames let through. Some golfers find very dark or strongly tinted lenses make it harder to read the slope of a green or follow the ball against the sky; if that’s you, try a lighter tint rather than going without. A cap or visor with a brim shades your eyes from overhead sun and cuts down on squinting. On a windy day, keep your face turned slightly away from gusts while you wait on the tee.

The cart ride and the wind

A golf cart moving down the path pushes air straight into your face, on top of whatever wind is blowing. Over a full round that adds up to a lot of breeze. Riding behind a windshield helps when the cart has one, and sunglasses help when it doesn’t. If you walk the course, you trade that for more time in the sun, so the cap and sunglasses matter just as much.

Can I keep eye drops in my golf bag?

Yes, during the round, in a pocket that stays out of direct sun. The problem is where the bag goes afterward. Many golfers leave their clubs in the trunk between rounds, and a trunk on a summer afternoon gets far hotter than the air outside. Quell’s label gives the storage range: Store between 15° to 30°C (59° to 86°F).

• Use an inside or insulated pocket of the bag during play, away from the side facing the sun.
• Take the bottle out of the bag when you load the car, and bring it inside with you.
• Don’t store a spare in the bag for the season; keep spares in a drawer at home.
• In cold weather, a bag left in an unheated garage or a winter trunk can drop below the range too.

Can you leave eye drops in a hot car? has more on why heat matters.

When to use eye drops during a round of golf

The directions don’t change on the course: Apply 1 drop 3 times per day in each eye. Golfers often fit one drop around the round itself: one before leaving home, one at the turn, and one in the evening. The turn is a natural point because you can wash up at the clubhouse first.

• Wash your hands before using drops. Sunscreen, grass, sand and grip residue all end up on your fingers.
• Don’t put drops in right before a shot. Give your eyes a moment to settle and your vision to clear.
• Cap the bottle immediately. Do not touch tip of bottle to any surface to avoid contamination.
• Wipe sweat and sunscreen from your brow first so they don’t run into your eyes with the drop.

Keeping sunscreen and sweat out of your eyes

Sunscreen that runs into the eyes stings, and it’s easy to mistake that for dryness. Apply sunscreen to your face before you leave home, so it has time to set, and keep it a little away from the eyelids. A sweatband or a cap with an absorbent band catches sweat before it reaches your brow. Carry a clean towel just for your face, separate from the one you use on your clubs and balls.

Where Quell fits

Quell is designed to reinforce the tear film’s oil layer to help reduce moisture loss. The tear film’s outer oil layer slows evaporation from the water beneath it, and wind and sun speed that evaporation up. Read the full label on the Drug Facts page before you start; it includes a caution for people with egg or bird allergies because the formula contains emu oil. Dry air, wind and altitude explains more about how moving air affects the eye.

When to see an eye doctor

If your eyes stay uncomfortable well after the round, or you notice any change in how you see the ball or the green, see an eye doctor; finding the reason is their part of the job. Quell’s 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.