Sunglasses are essential in the summer, but they are just as important during the colder months of the year, especially for people who are active outdoors in winter.
The Protective Qualities of Sunglasses
Proper eyewear is important when spending time outdoors in winter. Here are some reasons why you should wear your sunglasses in winter:
Protection from UV Rays
It’s important to protect your eyes from UV rays all year round. UV rays are indeed present throughout the year, even on darker or cloudy days. In fact, in winter, snow and ice can even enhance UV exposure by reflecting more of its harmful rays. Prolonged exposure to these rays can increase a person’s risks of developing eye conditions such as cataracts, pterygium, and macular degeneration. We therefore recommend wearing your sunglasses when you’re outdoors, including during the colder months of the year. For better protection against UV rays, consider choosing sunglasses that block 100% of UVA and UVB rays.
Protection Against Snow Blindness
Snow blindness is caused when UV rays reflect off snow or ice, thus impacting your visibility and causing pain, temporary vision loss, redness, and increased sensitivity to light. This is particularly frequent in mountainous areas or places that witness heavy snowfall. To protect your eyes during your outdoor winter adventures, it is therefore important that you wear your sunglasses.
Protection from Sun Glare
The reflection of sunlight on snowy patches and icy surfaces can also cause sun glare. Without proper protection, sun glare can easily blind you while you’re outdoors, drastically reducing your visibility. This can be particularly dangerous if you’re walking along icy paths or skiing down a slope during your winter adventures. The intensity of a sun glare can not only cause eye strain and headaches, but it can also increase your risk of getting in an accident while you’re outside. To effectively protect your eyes from sun glare, we recommend wearing sunglasses with polarized lenses. These lenses are designed to filter out horizontally reflected light, thus enhancing your comfort and visibility in winter.
Protection from the Wind
In winter, cold winds and dry air can lead to eye irritation and redness. Prolonged exposure to wind can also cause your eyes to dry out, water, or feel scratchy. By wearing sunglasses while you’re active outdoors, you will therefore be able to protect your eyes from the wind, as well as from the dust and debris it carries.
Protection Against Skin Cancer
The skin around the eyes is particularly vulnerable to UV exposure. Prolonged exposure to UV rays can not only cause premature aging and wrinkles, but in some cases, it can also cause skin cancer. To shield the area around your eyes from those rays, it is therefore important to wear your sunglasses when you’re outside, even in winter.
Shop Prescription and Designer Sunglasses for Winter
Elevate your style with designer sunglasses from solis optics. Our stunning collection of men's and women's sunglasses, frames, and prescription eyewear is designed to complement your unique look. We have a frame for every face at our solis optics stores in Vancouver Yaletown, Surrey, Markham, Mississauga, Burlington, Dundas and Waterloo. Or save with our everyday 2-for-1 offer at one of our partner locations near you, including stores in Vancouver, Burnaby, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Toronto and Vaughan.