Short gloomy days and long dark nights, often mean people forget about sunglasses in winter. Here are a few reasons why they aren’t one-season wonders.
Sunglasses In winter -
There are a variety of reasons for using sunglasses in winter. They're not only a great fashion accessory but they're also great for protecting your eyes from the underestimated effects of the winter sun. Dust, debris, rain glare. All these things can be a nuisance during winter and most of us neglect sunglasses as an easy fix. But why? They're fashionable, durable and convenient enough to deal with these problems if and when they occur.
PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS -
We all know the struggles of having to do battle with the elements at this time of year. There are a couple of options available when dealing with strong winds, rain or snow.
You can either squint to protect your eyes from debris, dust and rain, which can lead to headaches if done for an extensive period. Or you can avoid squinting and leave your eyes vulnerable to the elements, leaving them red and dry.
There is, however, another option. Sunglasses are great for protecting the eyes from wind, rain and snow, along with being ideal for those that aren’t regular glasses wearers who need something to shield their eyes from the elements.
EARLY SUNSET -
During the winter months, the sun rises later and sets earlier, often at a time when people may be driving to or from work and school.
As well as being a nuisance, this can also be a danger to those driving as the sun is closer to your eye level and you will often be driving towards it. Sunglasses are great for blocking out the sun while driving and ensuring your visibility isn’t at risk.
Winter Sun Protection -
It's not only in summer that our eyes can be exposed to harmful UV rays or blinding sunlight. The chaotic and unpredictable winter weather can often be more harmful to our eyes than summer weather. This can be down to things such as Rain glare and snow blindness. The combination of winter conditions and bright sunlight can be an irritating and possibly even dangerous mix.
RAIN GLARE -
We can expect a lot more rain during the winter months and other than ruining plans or making every day a dull one, rain can pose more serious problems.
Sunlight, as well as car headlights, can often produce glare off wet roads or buildings which, for pedestrians, may not be much of a problem but it can cause problems for drivers. Glare can make visibility a problem and a driver losing visibility for a second can have serious consequences. On top of this, straining or squinting to see where you’re going can cause headaches. Sunglasses do a great job of blocking out glare and preventing any loss of visibility.
SNOW BLINDNESS -
Although not a very well-known problem, ‘snow blindness’ is more common of an issue than you might think. Snow can reflect up to 85% of the sun’s UV rays and snow blindness is a condition where the cornea of the eye can become sunburnt from the sun’s UV rays and vision can be temporarily lost.
Despite the misleading name, snow blindness isn’t exclusive to snow. It can occur with water and white sand but due to snow’s colour and reflectiveness, it makes it much more likely to happen. Wear sunglasses while in the presence of snow and when taking part in activities such as skiing, snowboarding or hiking.
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