Most people wear sunglasses during summer, on the beach, or on road trips. They then do so less commonly during winter. They never consider the damage they expose their eyes to during winter due to the glare, impaired vision, and eyestrain that snow causes by reflecting light from the sun. Read on to learn why wearing sunglasses in the winter is vital.

Reduce Glare

Sunsets and sunrises can be beautiful. But in those times, sunlight can obstruct your view and affect how you see what is before you. The effect can last seconds later after the exposure to intense brightness.

Glare can worsen during the winter. Traffic lights, rearview mirrors, ice, and snow produce bright reflections. The glare during the season can impair your vision while you drive, ski, and walk. However, wearing sunglasses helps reduce glare significantly to help you and the people around you remain safe. Your eyes will also be comfortable.

Protection From Harmful UV Rays

UVA and UVB rays from the sun are harmful and can damage your skin. You can experience eye problems due to prolonged UV rays exposure during winter. The exposure increases your risk for issues such as:

• Photokeratitis - A sunburn on your cornea can be short-term. However, intense UVB rays exposure can lead to a temporary loss of vision.

• Cataracts - The clouding that develops on the eye lens.

• Age-related macular degeneration - Causes vision loss in older adults.

• Skin cancer - Occurs near your eyelids.

• Pterygium - A growth that can block your vision by spreading to your cornea.

Fortunately, sunglasses block harmful sun rays to protect your eyes. It also prevents wrinkling by protecting the skin around your eyes during winter.

Keep Out Debris, Dust, and Wind

Most people complain about eye irritation and watery and dry eyes during winter. Cold air can irritate your eyes and cause you to produce reactionary tears. However, your eyes will dry due to sharp winds, causing your tear film to evaporate quickly.

You can reduce tear evaporation during winter by wearing sunglasses. You maintain your eye moisture with them; if you wear contact lenses, the wind cannot dry them out. 

Particles can scratch your eyes when it is very windy during winter. You can also get corneal abrasions. But if you wear sunglasses, you keep out debris and dust particles from hurting your eyes.

Reduce Headaches and Eyestrain

Your pupils constrict when you expose them to bright lighting. They also dilate when the lighting becomes dim. Thus, you experience eyestrain in inadequate or very bright lighting because your pupils will not adjust comfortably to the brightness.

Your retinas are the nerve tissue layers at the back of your eye that are sensitive to light. During summer, the snow and sun can be very bright. However, your pupils do not constrict adequately to reduce the exposure to the brightness or light entering the eye to the retina. As a result, you begin squinting to reduce how much light enters your eyes. The squinting causes headaches and eyestrain.

Wearing sunglasses outdoors during winter helps shield your eyes from a lot of brightness that may cause eyestrain or headaches.

For more about wearing sunglasses in the winter, call Gulf Coast Vision at (228) 262-0266 to reach our office in Gulfport, Mississippi.