With the arrival of winter, many people put away their warm-weather clothes and beach supplies, and forget about any interest they had in getting a good pair of sunglasses. What they don't realize is that sunglasses are just as important in winter as they are in the summer. Owning a good pair of sunglasses can help prevent injuries, eye discomfort and even auto accidents. Below are some of the best reasons to invest in sunglasses this winter.

Snow Blindness Can Cause Driving Accidents

The reflection of sunlight off of snow can cause a condition called snow blindness. For people suffering from snow blindness while behind the wheel, safe driving may become difficult or impossible. Wearing sunglasses while driving on a bright snowy day can help you avoid snow blindness and may reduce the chances of an accident occurring.

Photokeratitis Can Cause Discomfort in the Eyes

Excessive exposure to the sun, like what you might experience after a day of skiing or participating in another winter sport, can cause a condition called photokeratitis. This condition is essentially a sunburn on the eyes. The symptoms of photokeratitis include:

• A gritty feeling in the eyes
• Redness of the eyes
• Extreme sensitivity to light
• Excessive tearing

Although photokeratitis will often go away on its own, it can lead to serious discomfort while the injured person is waiting for their eyes to heal. Wearing sunglasses can allow you to spend a long hours outdoors without experiencing photokeratitis.

UV Rays Can Do Long-Term Damage

Many people assume exposure to harmful UV rays is a summer problem, but UV rays are present all year round. In fact, snow can reflect as much as 80% of UV rays during the winter months, meaning that people spending time outdoors on sunny, snowy days can get exposed to the same UV rays twice. Wearing proper eye protection can prevent dangerous exposure to UV rays. Since exposure to UV rays can cause long-term damage like cataracts and retina damage, wearing sunglasses can help save your vision.

If you're ready to get new sunglasses this winter, stop in at your local eye glasses store to pick out the right pair for you. If you're in need of prescription sunglasses, make an appointment with an optometrist first. Your optometrist can test your vision and find the right type of prescription for your needs. Once that's done, you'll be able to get a pair of prescription sunglasses.