Most of us assume that due to excessive cold outside, our eyes are safe from sun damage. Unfortunately, this assumption is wrong. Our eyes are as vulnerable to the damaging UV sun rays as they are during the summer season. In addition to UV rays, there are other things too which can cause harm to your eyes during the winter season.
Save your eyes from Snow Blindness
You might have experienced the symptoms of this condition, but might not have heard its name. Snow blindness occurs due to the excessive sunlight exposure during the winter season. It causes your eyes to sunburn and leads to temporary blindness.
This condition is commonly experienced in winter because it is not just the sunlight that comes directly from the sun, but sunlight is also reflected from snow. This condition is commonly experienced in the winter.
The symptoms take many hours to become visible so you probably don’t know until it is too late. You keep on exposing your eyes to even more sunlight for longer periods. Fortunately, you can take some preventive measure to protect your eyes from this damaging condition.
Here are top tips to save your eyes from the effects of winter cold and enjoy this season fully.
- Don’t skip sunglasses during the winter: Sunglasses are not just for summers. You should wear 100% UV protection and polarized sunglasses in winter also. These offer the perfect defense against the harmful UV sunrays when you go outside in snowy conditions.
- Don’t forget to wear special goggles during skiing or snowboarding: Those who love to enjoy ice via snowboarding and skiing are exposed to more UV sun rays. It is because the atmosphere on higher altitudes is thinner than lower altitudes. This makes the sunlight severe and causes harm to your eyes. If you are a winter athlete, a good pair of polarized UV protection goggles is a must have to carry along.
- Stay hydrated to combat dry eyes: The winter air is often drier and along with it heating is used indoors, which dries the air even more. This can make your eyes dry, dehydrated and irritated. To prevent dry eyes in winters, stay hydrated. Instead of using heaters, use seat warmers to keep yourself warm when sitting or travelling in the car. Install an air humidifier in your house for retaining the level of moisture in the air.
- Take a break from digital devices: Cut down the time spent on digital devices, like smartphones, tablets, and laptops etc. While watching screens for long hours, you tend to blink less which leads to eye dryness. To encounter this, use artificial tears and apply 20-20-20 rule. Look at least 20 feet away from the screen after every 20 minutes for 20 seconds and blink a lot during this period. This will help keep your eyes moist and prevent irritation and dryness.
By following these useful tips you can enjoy the winter season and its festivities while keeping your eyes safe and healthy throughout the season.
