As winter weather moves into Colorado, so do health risks related to snow blindness. Whether you are hiking or snowshoeing at higher elevations, skiing, or skating on a frozen lake, you should protect your eyes from this condition, also known as photokeratitis.
This painful eye condition is caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. It is essentially a sunburn on the eye, according to Karen Christopher, MD, assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University of Colorado (CU) School of Medicine and cornea, external disease, and refractive surgery specialist at the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Eye Center.
We spoke with Christopher about how to protect your eyes from feeling the burn.