Do you protect your eyes during winter holidays?

Winter is a time when we do not usually remember to protect our eyes, especially while being outdoors. Most days are cloudy and the evenings are long, which means our sunglasses end up put away deep in our closets, waiting for the next summer season. Unfortunately, we are under a false impression when we think we do not need them in the winter, as it is exactly when our eyes are exposed to UV radiation much more than during the summer.

Snow, as well as pleasant wintry air and sunny sky definitely create fantastic weather conditions which we definitely hope for during our winter break, especially if we are planning to spend it skiing in the mountains. However, it is sensible not to forget that this type of weather is the greatest enemy of our eyes. Snow acts as a mirror, reflecting the sun rays – both visible and invisible spectrum.

This is why our eyes are exposed not only to standard UV radiation, but also the radiation reflected from the snow. What is even worse, the latter makes up approximately 85% of the whole radiation that reaches the eyes. This means that in the winter our eyes receive significantly more harmful radiation than during the summer. As little time as two hours spent on the snow in bright sunlight may lead to acute conjunctivitis.

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to protect our eyes not only in the summer, but also – or possibly far and foremost – in the winter season. If we go skiing or snowboarding, we should always wear good sunglasses or goggles. It is also recommendable to have them on cloudy days. Skiing without sunglasses entails a risk of snow blindness, and in the long-term perspective may lead to eye degeneration and cataract. It should also be kept in mind that we should wear high-quality sunglasses with UV filters that will provide genuine protection.

This is when a dilemma arises for anyone with a refractive error, who has to wear glasses regardless of the season. If we do not like or do not want to wear contact lenses, we can always get a pair of prescription sunglasses for ourselves. It leads to a question, however, if it is not better to eliminate the vision defect permanently instead of carrying a few pairs of glasses with us at all times.

Laser vision correction can free us from such worries once and for all, and our eyes will be

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