"Enjoying" the winter snow

What with this being the 100^th anniversary of the death Scott of the Antarctic and some of us receiving our first fall of snow I thought it a good time to remember that it isn’t only the cold and the ice that makes snow potentially dangerous.

Many of us will have heard of Snow Blindness or Photokeratitis but assume it is only a danger at high attitudes thus relevant only for those who enjoy Skiing. Whilst radiation burns to the cornea are unlikely in the UK the increased UV

 radiation reflected from the snow-scape is a real danger.

Just because it is cold doesn’t mean you don’t need good UV protective sunglasses. Excessive UV exacerbates all sorts of problems such as cataracts, AMD and other issues. Children are at greater risk than adults. The media within their eye is younger and clearer than an aging person thus transmits more of the UV through to the retina. And who is likely to spend time out in the snow – The nation’s intrepid snowball fighting snowman-building youth! So make sure they too are protected by proper UV screening lenses.

Personally I prefer seeing snow from indoors looking out, or better still by watching David Attenborough in the BBCs Frozen Planet! How ever you take your snow, take care!