Winter Eye Protection

Cold weather is just around the corner which means you still need to be taking care of your eyes. Indoor heat and forced air from car vents dries out your eyes just as it dries out your skin. In the summertime, the sun may feel hotter, but since snow is reflective it is important to wear sunglasses that protect you from dangerous UV rays. Winter UV rays can be twice as dangerous compared to summer. When participating in winter sports like snowboarding, ice-skating, and skiing, it’s important to take the time to protect your eyes and yourself from debris, snow and sun.

Even with sunglasses, light gets in from the top, bottom and sides of sunglasses known as Peripheral Light Focusing Effect (PLF) which means only 45% of UV is still reaching the eye. People often also wear contact lenses as an added layer of protection. Wearing UV-blocking contact lenses reduces the PLF effect by 69% for UVA and 96% for UVB.