Is Squamish's Outdoor Lifestyle Making Dry Eyes Worse? What a Canadian Study Found
Squamish, Canada - October 20, 2026 / Garibaldi Eye Care /
SQUAMISH, BC, October 20, 2026 — Garibaldi Eye Care, an eye doctor Squamish patients rely on for comprehensive vision care, is pointing to published research on the prevalence of dry eye disease across Canada. The practice notes that the Sea to Sky Corridor's outdoor lifestyle and heavy screen use may put local residents at particular risk. The downtown Squamish practice, led by Dr. Brandon Baker and Dr. Ashala Mah, is drawing on the findings to raise awareness of its dry eye clinic services for patients experiencing persistent irritation, burning, or blurred vision.
Research Quantifies a Widely Underreported Condition
A 2019 study published in The Ocular Surface estimated that about 21.3% of Canadian adults, roughly 6.3 million people, have dry eye disease, based on an Ontario survey adjusted to the national population, according to researchers led by Caffery et al. The same study found that women are affected at a rate of 24.7%, compared with 18.0% for men. Separately, the age group with the highest reported rate, also 24.7%, was adults between 55 and 64. The two figures describe different groups that happen to share a number, not a single statistic.
Dry eye disease occurs when the eyes do not produce enough tears, or produce tears of poor quality, leading to inflammation and irritation on the surface of the eye. Left unaddressed, it can affect day-to-day comfort and, for some patients, interfere with clear vision. Garibaldi Eye Care says the scale of the numbers reported in the study is a reason for patients who have been living with symptoms to get a proper evaluation rather than continuing to manage them with over-the-counter drops alone.
Dr. Brandon Baker, optometrist at Garibaldi Eye Care, describes dry eye as one of the most common conditions seen at the practice and also one of the most commonly dismissed. Patients often assume that irritated, watery, or tired eyes are just part of getting older or spending too much time on a screen, he says, when there are real ways to manage the symptoms.
Squamish's Outdoor Lifestyle Adds Local Risk Factors
Garibaldi Eye Care sees dry eye complaints tied to more than screens alone. Wind exposure along the Sea to Sky Highway, UV glare off the Stawamus Chief and surrounding peaks, and the dry air encountered while hiking, biking, or skiing can all contribute to tear film instability, a hallmark of dry eye disease. Cooler months bring an added factor: indoor heating, which can further dry out the eyes during the winter riding and ski season. The practice's dry eye services include in-office evaluation and a range of management options designed to help patients manage their symptoms rather than simply live with them.
Dr. Ashala Mah, optometrist at Garibaldi Eye Care, says the practice built its dry eye clinic around what it actually sees in Squamish: people who are out on the trails, on the water, or in front of a screen all day, sometimes all three. A proper evaluation, she says, is the first step toward managing dry eye rather than just living with it.
Garibaldi Eye Care is currently accepting new patients for dry eye evaluations and general eye exams at its downtown Squamish location near Save-On-Foods. The evaluations are designed to identify the specific cause behind a patient's symptoms, since dry eye can stem from several different underlying factors, and to match each patient with a management plan suited to a day-to-day routine, whether that is hours on a screen or hours on the trail. Residents of Squamish and the surrounding Sea to Sky Corridor can schedule an appointment by phone at 778-906-0936 or through the practice's website.
Contact Information:
Garibaldi Eye Care
38222 Eaglewind Blvd
Squamish, BC V8B 0C5
Canada
Brandon Baker
+1 778-906-0936
https://garibaldieyecare.com/
