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A leading US doctor has warned holidaymakers, especially those heading on skiing trips to keep their sunglasses on throughout the year.

Professor Adam Gordon of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's School of Optometry has explained that while the arrival of cold weather makes people pack sunglasses with their beachwear, people should wear sunglasses to protect the eyes from ultraviolet (UV) rays all year round.

The optometrist said: 'Ultraviolet radiation reaches the earth s surface, even on cloudy or overcast days.

'Over-exposure to ultraviolet rays causes painful corneal abrasion, which can last for several days to a week.'

He went on to explain that snow reflects UV radiation, so people who spend a lot of time outdoors in winter are at a greater risk of exposure and should keep their shades on.

Professor Gordon added that scientific evidence links prolonged ultraviolet exposure to cataracts and possibly to degeneration of the mascula a highly sensitive part of the retina.


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