Snow Blindness Is a Real Sunburn — Of Your Eyes
Photokeratitis ruins ski trips. Here's how to dodge it.
Photokeratitis ('snow blindness') symptoms typically appear 6-12 hours after intense UV exposure to the eyes and usually resolve within a day or two.
Ophthalmologists describe snow blindness as a sunburn of the cornea, and stress that UV-blocking goggles or wraparound sunglasses are the main defense on the slopes.
Questions we get a lot
What is snow blindness (photokeratitis)?
Snow blindness, or photokeratitis, is essentially a UV sunburn of the cornea and conjunctiva. Symptoms — pain, redness, grittiness, watering and light sensitivity — usually appear 6-12 hours after exposure and resolve within a day or two. It's caused by intense UV, often reflected off snow.
How do I protect my eyes from snow blindness while skiing?
Wear UV-blocking ski goggles or wraparound sunglasses labeled for 100% UVA/UVB protection — snow reflects up to 80% of UV, hitting the eyes from below as well as above. Don't forget broad-spectrum SPF on the face, ears and lips, since altitude raises UV intensity too.
When is the UV index high enough to threaten my eyes and skin?
Dermatologists generally recommend sun protection whenever the UV Index is 3 or higher, and that threshold is easily reached on bright snowy days even in winter. On the slopes, reflected UV and altitude push effective exposure higher, so eye protection matters year-round.
r/SkincareScience: 'Can you really get a sunburn on your eyes from snow?'