Snow blindness: Facts, Discussion Forum, and Encyclopedia Article

All Topics

Snow blindness

	Email		Print
	Bookmark		Link

	Snow blindness
	Home Discussion
	Topics Snow blindness Topic Home Snow blindness (Niphablepsia) is a painful condition, typically a keratitisKeratitis Keratitis is a condition in which the eye's cornea is inflamed. ... , caused by exposure of unprotected eyeEye Overview An eye is an organ of vision that detects light.... s to the ultravioletUltraviolet Ultraviolet light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength shorter than that of visible light, but longer than soft X... (UV) rays in bright sunlightSunlight Sunlight in the broad sense is the total spectrum of electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun.... reflectedReflection (physics) Reflection is the change in direction of a wave front at an between two dissimilar media so that the wave front returns int... from snowSnow Snow is precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes.... or iceIce Ice is an Oxide class mineral that is referred to by any one of the 14 known solid phases of water.... . This is especially a problem in polar regions and at high altitudes, as with every thousand feet (approximately 305 meters) increase in elevation, the intensity of UV rays goes up five percent. The problem is also related to the condition arc eyeArc eye Arc eye, also known as arc flash, welder's flash, corneal flash burns, or flash burns, is a painful ... sometimes experienced by welderWelder A welder is a tradesman who specialises in welding materials together.... s. Snow blindness is akin to a sunburnSunburn A sunburn is a burn to the skin produced by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation, commonly from the sun's rays.... of the corneaCornea The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber, providing most of an ... and conjunctivaConjunctiva The conjunctiva is a membrane that covers the sclera and lines the inside of the eyelids.... , and may not be noticed for several hours from exposure. Symptoms can run the gamut from eyes being bloodshot and teary to increased pain, feeling gritty and swelling shut. In very severe cases, snow blindness can cause permanent vision loss. The InuitInuit Inuit is a general term for a group of culturally similar indigenous peoples inhabiting the Arctic coasts of Siberia, Alask... carved gogglesGoggles Goggles and safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the eye area in order to pr... from caribou antlerAntler Overview Antlers are the large and complex horn-like appendages of deer, consisting of bony outgrowths from the head with no covering... to help prevent snow blindness. The goggles were curved to fit the user's face and had a large groove cut in the back to allow for the nose. A long thin slit was cut through the goggles to allow in a small amount of light. The goggles were held to the head by a cord made of caribou sinew. Prevention When trekking, mountaineeringMountaineering Mountaineering is the sport or hobby or profession of walking, hiking and climbing up mountains.... or skiingSkiing Skiing is the activity of gliding over snow using skis , with metal edges, strapped to the feet with ski bindings.... , sunglassesSunglasses Sunglasses are a visual aid, variously termed spectacles or glasses, which feature lenses that are coloured or darkened to s... that offer the following are frequently recommended: 99-100% UV absorption PolycarbonatePolycarbonate h colspan="2" align=center bgcolor="#cccccc">Polycarbonate... or CR-39 lens 5-10% visible light transmittance Large lenses that fit close to the face and cover the whole eye Wraparound, side-shielded, or dark-lensed 'glacier' glassesGlasses Glasses, spectacles, or eyeglasses are frames bearing lenses worn below the forehead and in front of the human e... to prevent incidental light exposure Wear even when the sky is overcast, as UV rays can still filter through clouds In the event of lost or damaged sunglasses, make emergency gogglesGoggles Goggles and safety glasses are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the eye area in order to pr... by cutting slits in dark fabric or tape folded back onto itself Treatment Following these guidelines will allow the pain and symptoms of snow blindness to disappear as the corneaCornea The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber, providing most of an ... heals: Avoid rubbing eyes and remove contact lenses Administer an oral pain medication such as ibuprofenIbuprofen Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug widely marketed under various trademarks including Act-3, Advil... Cover eyes with soft thick cloth pads or gauzeGAUZE *GAUZE* is the first full-length album by the Japanese rock group Dir en grey released in 1999.... bandages to prevent irritation from eyelid movement and protect from light; rest in a dark room if possible Apply cold wet compresses to ease burning sensations Check injury at half-day intervals; remove dressingDressing (medical) A dressing is a piece of material, usually cloth, used to cover a wound and stop bleeding.... when eyes can remain open comfortably Wear sunglassesSunglasses Sunglasses are a visual aid, variously termed spectacles or glasses, which feature lenses that are coloured or darkened to s... outside until symptoms completely disappear See also AlbedoAlbedo Albedo is a ratio of scattered to incident electromagnetic radiation power, most commonly light.... Glare (vision)Glare (vision) Glare is difficulty seeing in the presence of bright light such as direct or reflected sunlight or artificial light such as ... Over-illuminationOver-illumination Over-illumination is the presence of lighting intensity beyond that required for a specified activity.... Winter sportWinter sport A winter sport is a sport commonly played during winter.... SunglassesSunglasses Sunglasses are a visual aid, variously termed spectacles or glasses, which feature lenses that are coloured or darkened to s... External links