How to Protect Your Eyes While On The Hill

How To Protect Your Eyes While On The Snow

Choosing Suitable Eye Protection For Downhill Sports

You wouldn’t wear your dress shoes to go running. Eyewear is no different! Different types of eyewear perform differently when doing different activities. Often, when on the ski hill, you may see people wearing regular sunglasses. And although sunglasses are great and may seem to do the trick, the best eyewear option for downhill snow activities is a good pair of snow goggles. Goggles offer complete coverage. This not only helps protect your eyes from harmful damaging UV rays, but it also protects them from debris such as snow and wind. Goggles are usually a much safer option over sunglasses as well! Many goggle lenses are made of lens materials (such as polycarbonate) which protect your eyes from impact should you happen to take a tumble or run into an osbticle.

Goggle Lenses and Polarized Lenses

Polarized lenses are great! They help protect your eyes from blinding harmful reflective glare and harmful UV rays. Many people are aware the polarized lenses are available in sunglasses and know that they work great on the water. But there are a lot of people who aren’t aware that polarized lenses are equally beneficial on the snow. Many snow goggles can also be fitted with polarized lenses as well!

Often goggles will have lenses that are interchangeable. Investing in a few different lens colours as well as a polarized lens, will ensure that you are ready for all light and weather conditions while on the hill.

Contact Lenses

If you wear contacts, it is important to make sure your lenses are appropriate for the activity you are doing. Daily disposable contact lenses are a great option for snow sports. Putting a new pair of contacts into your eyes everyday will ensure you experience the best comfort and vision. Using a daily disposable contact will also reduce contact lens related eye health problems.

There are so many benefits and conveniences of daily disposable contacts! Single use contacts are great as you don’t have to haul around lens solution. You also don’t have to worry about cleaning your contacts after you wear them which is an added bonus. We recommend to always carry a spare pair of daily disposable contacts. Should your contact lenses become uncomfortable while wearing them, it is often a good idea to just replace the lenses with a fresh pair to further prevent eye irritation or possible eye injury or damage.

Dry Eye Sufferers, Be prepaired!

Because skiing and snowboarding can be drying to eyes. Patients who have dry eyes are also recommend to keep lubricating eye drops on hand. Eye drops help to relieve irritated eyes from dryness. If wearing contact lenses, make sure that the eye drops you are using are compatible with contact lens wear. Your optometrist or contact lens practitioner will be the best person to recommend an eye drop for use with your contacts.