We all know that UV rays can be harmful to our skin, but our eyes are just as vulnerable. Few children put on their ski goggles on their own. If we, as ski instructors, don’t do anything about it, they’ll be left with red and sore eyes by the end of the day.
Always wear goggles
. During ski lessons, especially when children are wearing their ski goggles or sunglasses. Adults who aren’t wearing goggles can be advised and informed about the dangers of UV radiation. Due to altitude and snow conditions, UV radiation can be 10 times stronger than in the Netherlands. Even on a cloudy day, 50 percent of UV radiation penetrates the cloud cover. Not wearing ski goggles or sunglasses during a day of skiing can lead to cataracts or macular degeneration (an eye condition that reduces visual acuity) later in life.
Good ski goggles.
The vast majority of your guests won’t be on a ski holiday for more than a week. As a ski instructor, however, you might be in the mountains for four months. So make sure you wear good ski goggles and sunglasses while skiing. Avoid ending up unable to read, watch television, or recognize faces by always wearing ski goggles while skiing. Here’s what to keep in mind when buying new goggles:
- The glasses must offer 100% UV protection. This is usually indicated by a sticker that says 100% UV or UV 400.
- The glasses must be made of unbreakable polycarbonate.
- The glasses should fit snugly on the face so that no direct sunlight can reach your eyes.
- The glasses must bear a European CE mark, followed by a number from 0 to 4. This number indicates the lens’s color intensity, or glare protection. A sun protection factor of 3 is recommended for winter sports enthusiasts. In extremely bright light, such as on a glacier, a factor of 4 applies.
- The color of the lens has no effect on UV protection. It only determines the transmission of visible light. Yellow lenses absorb almost no sunlight and are suitable for very cloudy days and fog. Orange and red lenses absorb 20 to 56 percent of the sunlight and are suitable for cloudy days. Rose and amber lenses absorb 57 to 81 percent of the sunlight and are suitable for slightly cloudy days. Brown and very dark lenses, as well as lenses with a mirrored effect, absorb 92 to 97 percent of the sunlight and are suitable for cloudless days.
- A polarized lens eliminates annoying glare in the snow.
- Glasses that are treated against rapid fogging prevent the glasses from fogging up quickly.
- A good snow goggle has a double lens that prevents condensation from forming in the goggle.
The Eye Fund
reports 5,000 to 10,000 new cases of cataracts and macular degeneration annually. Seven out of ten cases could easily have been prevented by properly protecting the eyes. The Eye Fund has launched a campaign emphasizing the need to wear ski goggles or sunglasses during winter sports.