![]() ![]() Skiers and beach enthusiasts are prone to this condition, as are welders, among whom it is known as “arc eye.” The intense light generated by welding operations necessitates strong eye protection, including welding goggles and helmets.Īnother important aspect of lifestyle as a risk factor for this condition is where you live people who live at high altitudes are at greater risk because the thinner air provides less protection from ultraviolet radiation.Įye color can also affect your susceptibility to snow blindness people with lighter-colored eyes are more vulnerable to photokeratitis, as well as to certain types of melanoma that can also result from sun exposure. The most important risk factor for photokeratitis is lifestyle. What Are the Risk Factors for Snow Blindness? The potential damage to your eyes from excessive sun exposure is not limited to snow blindness other complications of UV exposure include various eye and eyelid cancers, pterygium, macular degeneration, and cataracts. ![]() The damage done by the sun or other UV light sources can also be cumulative, gradually reducing the visual acuity of people who spend too much time in the sun or who otherwise expose themselves to UV light on a regular basis. In some cases, temporary color changes in vision.Extreme sensitivity to light ( photophobia).A gritty feeling, like a foreign body in the eye.While the number of tanning salons in the US has declined 30 percent in the last decade, 35 percent of American adults report having used them, putting themselves at increased risk for photokeratitis. Other man-made sources of UV light can be found in tanning beds or lamps. The tools used in some industrial occupations, such as welding (see below), can also generate enough UV light to injure the eye. Therefore the warning should be repeated here: never stare directly at the sun, even during an eclipse. While most of us are told from the time we are children never to look directly at a solar eclipse, some people are apparently unaware. ![]() Solar eclipses often cause outbreaks of photokeratitis increasing the number of visits to urgent care centers and eye doctor offices. The reason this condition is commonly known as “snow blindness” is that it is easily caused by the reflection of sunlight off snow and ice, although reflections of sunlight off water or sand can be just as problematic. It is important to understand that direct sunlight is not the only-or even the most common-cause of photokeratitis. This condition is known as p hotokeratitis, or “snow blindness,” and it results from allowing our eyes to be exposed to ultraviolet light for too long or too often. What many of us don’t realize, however, is that it is quite possible to acquire sunburn on our eyes-specifically, on our corneas and conjunctiva. Can your eyes get sunburned? Most of us have learned to be careful when going out in the sun we cover every exposed inch of skin with SPF-30 sunblock (or higher) and take every reasonable precaution to avoid sunburned faces and limbs. ![]()
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