VSP Blog

Dan McLean, Consumer Communications Specialist with Transitions Optical

Guest Blogger: Dan McLean oversees all U.S. consumer communications for Transitions Optical, Inc. He lives in Florida, is a triathlete, and spends as much time outdoors as possible.

Last year my wife and I took a trip to Park City, Utah. Born and raised in Florida, I was hoping to hop on a pair of snow skis, like a pair of water skis, and tear down the mountain. Ha! I instead spent my time mastering the bunny slope as children a quarter my size and age fearlessly ripped by. Although tearing down the hills of Deer Valley on fresh powder is different from cruising the beaches of the Gulf, there were some commonalities in the equipment needed and the environment.

For example, the sun can be a sporting buzz kill, especially during the winter. Not only do you have to protect your eyes like you protect your skin from the harmful UV rays, but your run on the slopes can come to a quick end due to a rogue mogul hidden by glare. I wore eyewear with polarized lenses for my winter adventures. Not only did the lenses block the glare off the snow, but they also blocked the UV light from damaging my eyes. 

There’s a belief that on cloudy or overcast days – common for a fresh snowfall – that your eyes aren’t as susceptible to UV damage as on a sunny summer day. This is a myth. UV is present year-round and always a danger, whether it’s winter or summer. What makes winter sports even more dangerous is that 80 percent of UV light is reflected and magnified off the snow, almost doubling your UV exposure. And, like summer sports, winter sport participants are spending hours at a time outdoors exposed to UV rays.

What to look for in your winter eyewear:
Your eyewear is more than a fashion statement – it’s a critical piece of equipment for your sport and your eyes. You want something that is lightweight, comfortable and will protect your eyes from the dangers of the environment, such as kicked-up snow, wind and UV exposure. Make sure your lenses or goggles block 100 percent of UVA and UVB light. Not only are your eyes at risk to long-term UV exposure, but even in the short term your eyes can suffer from photokerititis or, sunburn of the eyes. A second consideration is polarized or color-tinted lenses to reduce glare and enhance contrast, allowing you to see better on the slopes and trails. Other considerations for your lenses include polycarbonate material to keep them from shattering, anti-scratch and anti-fog treatments and, of course, comfort and style, because if you are like me, you may not be able to ski the double black diamond, but you can at least look like you can.