Snow Blindness Prevention

Many people will be heading to the mountains this winter to enjoy hiking, snow shoeing, sledding, skiing and cross country skiing and other outdoor activities and without proper eye protection, they could be at danger of experiencing snow blindness. Just like a skin sun burn, snow blindness may not be noticed for several hours after sun exposure so it is extremely important to protect your eyes when outdoors in the snow or high altitudes. Snow blindness is caused by overexposure to the sun’s rays in snow covered terrain. Snow blindness is literally sunburn of the eyes.  It is painful and dangerous

Snow Blindness Symptoms

Snow blindness may indeed be as bad as its name implies and lead to temporary and even permanent loss of eyesight, but symptoms may include tearing or watering of the eyes, bloodshot eyes, twitching of the eyelid, eyes swelling shut and eye pain. The most common symptom is a feeling of having sand or grit in the eyes.

Snow blindness is likely to affect you if your plan to spend time outdoors where there is snow if you do not wear the proper or any eye protection.  Inadequate eye protection, such as sunglasses that allow light to enter from the sides, sunglasses that don’t block out enough of the sun’s rays or sunglasses that do not offer 100% UV protection can give you a sense of false security thinking you are protected when you are not, leaving you vulnerable to the dangerous effects of UV rays, which are present even on cloudy and overcast days.

Snow Blindness Prevention

You can prevent snow blindness by wearing the right sunglasses that offer 100% UV protection or are labeled UV400 (which are the same thing), that are polarized and that offer full coverage from top, bottom and sides to prevent reflected light from reaching the eyes.

 

Snow Blindness Glasses

Snow or ski goggles are designed to block light, snow and wind from all angles but not all of us want to wear ski goggles when shopping or sleigh riding downtown Utah City, Jackson Hole or Lake Tahoe. Even while hiking or ice skating in Salt Lake City, Telluride or Aspen, we may not want to wear ski goggles. Wraparound sunglasses like Solar Comfort are perfect for any and all winter activities that don’t involve barreling down a mountain at high speeds. The Olympic and Canyon by Solar Comfort have 100% UV Protection, are polarized, have a wraparound design and even have a top brow to prevent light from reaching your eyes.

 

 

Another great sunglass by Solar Comfort is the Borealis 360°. These sunglasses have the maximum UV protection, polarization, wraparound design and the added benefit of a foam seal that encapsulates your eyes protecting them from wind, cold and snow. Prevent snow blindness while enjoying the outdoors in the winter by wearing sunglasses.

Check out Solar Comfort sunglasses at www.solarcomfort.com  for under $25!  And use code:  BLOG30 to get 30% off.

And if you wear eyeglasses, you should definitely invest in a pair of Solar Shield fits over sunglasses, like the Arrowhead or Zion. Solar Shield fitovers offer fabulous protection while enjoying winter wonderlands. They are polarized, offer 100% UVA/UVB protection and have a wrap-around design. Many styles have top and bottom protection as well. www.solarshield.com  USE Code: BLOG15 to get 15% off your order.

 

 

 

 

 

Source: http://survival.about.com/od/4/a/Snow-Blindness-Prevention-Symptoms-And-Treatment.htm