Snow blindness, also called arc eye or photokeratitis, is a painful eye condition caused by overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) light. When too much UV light hits the transparent outer layer of your eyes, called the cornea, it essentially gives your cornea a sunburn.

How do you get Snowblind?

What is Snowblindness? Snow blindness is a painful, temporary loss of vision due to overexposure to the sun's UV rays. The medical term for snow blindness is photokeratitis ("photo" = light; "keratitis" = inflammation of the cornea).

What type of UV rays can lead to photokeratitis?

The response of tissue to laser light

Actinic ultraviolet in the range of 180 nm to 315 nm is responsible for 'welder's flash' or photokeratitis. Longer wavelengths of the near ultraviolet (UV-A) spectrum (315 nm to 400 nm) are absorbed in the lens and may contribute to certain forms of cataracts.