Protect Your Eyes This Winter

If you’re hitting the slopes this season, or heading for some winter sun – remember the importance of good eye protection.

Looking after your eyes throughout the winter months can help prevent eye damage from UV radiation. Even in overcast weather, clouds may block the sunlight, making it dark and dreary outside, but they don’t block UV rays.

So how to protect your eyes this winter?

Our advice is to consider wearing sunglasses.

Unprotected eyes can sustain just as much damage from the sun during winter as they can during the summer. Snow reflects 80 percent of UV radiation which means that when surrounded by snow, especially on a sunny day, your eyes are possibly being exposed to double the amount of radiation than normal. Not only are snow and ice highly reflective, but equally so are sand and water.

If you’re skiing or snowboarding, it’s important to know that the higher the altitude, the more UV radiation. For every 1000 metres up above sea level, UV radiation levels increase by 10 to 12 percent.

Photokeratitis

Photokeratitis is often referred to as ‘Snow blindness’, its what happens when your eyes get sunburned. It’s a painful eye condition that occurs when the eyes are damaged by the sun’s UV radiation.

Symptoms typically appear 6 to 12 hours following exposure to UV light. The eyes can become red, painful, watery and unduly sensitive to light. Vision may become blurred and the eyelids may be red and swollen. These symptoms are caused by temporary damage to the cells on the surface of the eye. Fortunately, the condition heals by itself and there is usually no permanent damage. Eye drops can be prescribed to make the eyes more comfortable while they recover. Pain killing tablets may be required as well.

Check the label on Sunglasses

As well as photokeratitis, other damage from UV rays can range from cataracts and AMD to conditions such as skin cancer. So, do make sure your sunglasses or ski goggles block 99 to 100 percent of UV-A and UV-B rays or are labelled ‘UV 400’.

The College of Optometists recommends that everyone buying new sunglasses needs to check they have the CE Mark and British Standard BS EN ISO 12312-1:2013, which ensures that the sunglasses offer a safe level of UV protection.

Prescription Sunglasses and Goggles

It’s possible to have prescription lenses fitted to ski goggles or ski sunglasses. Just ask your eye care specialist for the right advice and purchase them from a reputable Optician.

Read the guidelines on buying sunglasses here