Skiers urged to take extra eye-care

03 January 2012 09:06

Eye experts have urged skiers to protect their eyes, to avoid the risk of snowblindness

Eye experts have urged skiers to protect their eyes, to avoid the risk of snowblindness

Ski enthusiasts tend to prepare themselves more carefully with the correct equipment when hitting the slopes, but fail to protect their eyes, experts have said.

According to eye experts from Viewpoint Opticians in York, it is essential that skiers take precautions to guard their eyes from snowblindness, also called photokeratitis.

Trevor Rowley, owner of Viewpoint, has advised people to avoid the dangerous combination of sun and snow by wearing the right eyewear with full eye coverage even when off piste.

Mr Rowley said: "More than one million Britons go on skiing holidays every year and although we are all familiar with snow and ice, it is easy to forget to constantly protect your eyes against the harsh effects of a snow and sun combination.

"Many still succumb to snowblindness, a condition caused by failing to use adequately protective eyewear in high ultraviolet (UV) light conditions like skiing."

He further said: "This can be prevented by wearing appropriate sunglasses that filter UVA and UVB light and have side coverage of the eyes, when you're off-piste or even whilst enjoying that outdoor lunch."

It is advisable that action-minded skiers also get their sports travel insurance ready in time.

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