In the heat of summer, it's often difficult to remember that winter is coming up quickly. You may long for winter, but the actual mechanics of staying healthy and safe during those months can be the last things on your mind. But as the weather starts to change, keep in mind that one thing won't: UV rays. And these can be an even bigger threat to you if you live in a snowy area, which covers pretty much all of Canada. If you want your eyes to stay healthy, you have to protect them from UV rays even in winter.

Glare From Ice and Snow

The big threat is the reflection of UV rays from ice and snow up to your eyes. Even on cloudy days, snow and ice are fantastic reflectors, much better than plain water. A good portion of the UV rays hitting the ice and snow can then head right back to your eyes, increasing your risk of cataracts, snow blindness, and other conditions that you don't want.

You really do have to wear sunglasses, even in winter, when tromping around in icy or snowy conditions. (Even if you're just sitting around and ice fishing.) Look for larger lenses and frames that wrap around so that the sides of your eyes are covered as well. If you are doing something like skiing (something very active), be sure the frames have a leash connecting both arms that you can tighten so the glasses don't fly off your face at the slightest movement.

Clouds Aren't Your (Eyes') Friends

One of the issues people have with wearing sunglasses in winter is that, at northern latitudes, the sun tends to seem very weak in winter. Add in a layer of clouds, and what little light gets through can seem harmless. That's not the case. The light might be reduced, but the UV rays really aren't. Even when it's cloudy, you need some sort of protection.

UV Coatings

If you're truly embarrassed to wear sunglasses on a cloudy winter's day when you are not participating in a sport, remember that regular glasses and reading glasses can have anti-UV coatings, too. If you already have plain glasses with an anti-UV coating, wear those; they're better than nothing, though note that they will not help with bright glare.

If you don't wear prescription glasses, you aren't going skiing (or doing something that's equally as snow- or ice-filled), and you just can't get OK with the idea of sunglasses on a cloudy day when you're just out for a walk, talk to an optometrist. He or she can discuss options with you and help you determine when you really need to cover up and wear those sunglasses anyway.