#147: How to Prevent Snow Blindness
This week, I'm going to talk to you about something that probably, you never thought someone from Louisiana would teach you about. It's something called snow blindness. It can occur when you go outdoors and you enjoy yourself for the day when there's snow on the ground and you didn't protect your eyes properly.
When we go outdoors on a cold day I'm sure you've put on your long Johns, so your legs will be nice and warm. You put on your winter boots, you put on your coat, you put on your hood, you put on your gloves, and finally you go outside and you enjoy yourself all day. You've protected your body, but you forgot one crucial thing because maybe it was also cloudy. You didn't wear eye protection with an Ultra Violet (UV) blocker.
And the next day, when you wake up, your eyes are red and burning. Maybe you can barely see or get them open because you're so sensitive to the light. It might even be hard for your to understand what's happened. You don't remember getting anything in your eye, but your have a sensation that something is in there and it is scratching your eyes like sandpaper. You can't remember being around anyone else with pink eye, but your eyes are watering and there may be a white discharge.
What is Snow Blindness
Snow blindness is very similar to having a sunburn, but this sunburn is on your eyes. I'm sure you've experienced being outdoors in the summertime and forgetting to put on sunscreen. You think you're fine because your skin doesn't look red or appear irritated. But, the next day, your skin is bright red and burning. You couldn't touch it, and you could hardly move. The same thing can happen to your eyes when you don't protect them from UV light.
How to Prevent Snow Blindness
So let's talk about how to protect your eyes. Now, the first way would be to wear sunglasses. Make sure your sunglasses have UV protection in them. They'll be labeled with a sticker on the lens that says 100% UVA/UVB.
The style of sunglasses that you should wear in the winter are either fit over or wrap around sunglasses. These styles of sunglasses will give you coverage all the way to the side. When you pair these sunglasses with a hood or a hat your eyes will be protected and covered for the day. You can be outdoors and enjoy winter weather without needing to worry about snow blindness.
You could also use sunglasses with a bigger side temple. The larger temple will protect your eyes from the wind or snow coming from the sides and blowing into your eyes. If you need a prescription, the best type of protection for you would be a Fit Over sunglass. These are a large pair of sunglasses that slide on top of your own prescription glasses.
If you want more details on how to choose the best pair of sunglasses for winter weather, check out this blog.
What do you do if you Have Snow Blindness
First, your eye care practitioner because you will need some medication to calm down the inflammation. If it's the weekend, and you can't get to your eyecare professional, go ahead and start using artificial tears. Make sure they're preservative free and use them at least every hour. You can also use a cool compress to reduce the swelling. Make sure you get in to see your eyecare professional as soon as possible.
if you don't have a favorite artificial tear or one that works great for you, please download my artificial tear guide.
CONCLUSION
Snow blindness is like having a sunburn on your eyes. It causes redness, watering, light sensitivity, and swelling of the lids. It can be extremely painful and cause temporary vision loss. The best thing to do in the winter time is prevent yourself from getting snow blindness by wearing proper UV protection.
If you do end up with snow blindness, seek care with your eye care professional immediately. If you can't see your eye doctor right away, you can use preservative-free artificial tears and cool compresses to increase your comfort. Download the guide to artificial tears to choose the best one for your situation.
