Snow blindness: symptoms, prevention and treatment

What is snow blindness?

Snow blindness is a condition in which the eyes have been exposed to too much ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun; also called photokeratitis. It is a painful condition and people who travel outdoors in snowy conditions/terrain such as across a snowy field or in a high altitude wintry location and who do not wear proper eye protection are at higher risk for this condition. Snow blindness can affect people who live in snowy environments such as polar regions, and can also affect people who do outdoor activities in snowy conditions like skiing, hiking, snowboarding, etc. It is recommended to protect the eyes from snow blindness that people wear sunglasses or snow or glacier goggles that completely block the sun’s UV rays. The sun’s UV rays can burn the cornea, leading to photokeratitis in the aforementioned conditions. People may not notice the effects of photokeratitis for several hours after exposure to the sun’s strong rays.

What are the symptoms of snow blindness?

There are several symptoms of photokeratitis, but they can include eye pain, bloodshot eyes, excessive tearing, and eyelid twitching that cannot be controlled. One of the most common symptoms is feeling gritty or gritty in the eyes and in severe cases the eye can swell shut. As mentioned above, pain can be felt with snow blindness, this is caused by inflammation of the cornea from a lack of eye protection or insufficient protection from the sun’s UV rays. In some cases, photokeratitis can cause temporary vision loss, and in severe cases, repeated exposure to the sun’s UV rays can cause permanent vision loss.

How to prevent snow blindness

People in snowy environments need to take the right steps to prevent snow blindness such as;

Sunglasses: Sunglasses should block the sun’s UV rays efficiently from all angles, and sunglasses with 100% UVA and UBA protection are recommended. Wraparound or full coverage sunglasses would also be preferred as light should be prevented from entering the sides of the sunglasses if traveling in snowy conditions/environments.

Glacier Goggles/Sunglasses – These are an alternative to sunglasses if you have a hard time finding full coverage sunglasses. They look and fit like a regular pair of sunglasses, but have material on the sides and bottom to keep out the sun’s UV rays. The lenses on these glasses are usually mirrored and polarized, which are darker than your average sunglasses.

Snow/Ski Goggles: Snow and ski goggles are great for people in snowy conditions and are great if it’s windy or there’s a blizzard. Unlike sunglasses and sun/glacier goggles, snow and ski goggles fit snugly around the eyes and provide complete eye coverage. Again, lenses that are either mirrored or tinted are recommended so they can be used in sunny conditions and prevent snow blindness.

What is the treatment for snow blindness?

If there are signs of photokeratitis, the person should be removed from the sun’s UV rays and any reflective surfaces as quickly as possible. If available, ideally go into a dark room or tent. If contact lenses are worn, they should be removed, a dark cloth placed over the eyes, and no rubbing or touching the eyes. If you are close enough to a town or city, it may be a good idea to go to an eye clinic or an ophthalmologist, especially if the pain persists. If this is not possible, placing a cold compress on the eyes may help reduce pain. Snow blindness can take around 1-3 days to heal if kept indoors away from sunlight and completely covering the eyes with eye pads or other material to completely block out light can help speed up the process. . It is also important to visit an ophthalmologist once you are available, even if the snow blindness has been cured, as they will check your eyes for any long-term damage the snow blindness may have caused and give you any advice. to reduce the chance of it happening again. .