June 2, 2024
IMG Supervisor Porter McMichael sporting Cat 4 Glacier Glasses (Tomah Whitney)
On our IMG weblog, we’re endeavoring to reply probably the most steadily requested questions we get in hopes of sharing solutions and tips of the commerce with as many individuals as potential! First on the listing is about your eyes- each eyewear and eye care!
When speaking about rescues, many responders will use the phrase ‘life, limb, or sight’ to find out the necessity for an expeditious evacuation if there are threats to any of these three objects. Since threats to a climber’s eyes is taken into account a direct risk, it’s essential that you just maintain your eyes and just be sure you spend money on the correct gear to maintain your eyes wholesome within the mountain setting.
Snowblindness is a really painful, however fully preventable prevalence for individuals who don’t put on correct eye safety within the mountains. The reflectivity of the snow and the elevated UV at increased altitudes put climbers and skiers at elevated danger. To forestall this from occurring, it’s crucial that you just spend money on high quality glacier glasses. Glacier glasses differ from sun shades in two methods: the darkness of the lens and the form of the glasses. You need to get a pair of glacier glasses which have a Class 4 lens. “Cat 4” lenses block 92% (or extra) of the sunshine, stopping snowblindess in mountain environments. Some standard and trusted choices for glacier glasses with Cat 4 lenses are the Julbo Explorers, Julbo Camino, or the Smith Embark. When you’re on an IMG program based mostly in Washington, we’ve Cat 4 glacier glasses accessible to hire. Do you know that Cat 4 lenses are so darkish that you just shouldn’t drive in them?
Glacier glasses also needs to defend your eyes on the perimeters, any mild which may leak in from the perimeters may also trigger snowblindness even when sporting sun shades. That’s why lots of the glasses made particularly for mountaineering include built-in facet shades or the lens wraps round to the facet as seen within the Julbo Explorers. You probably have a pair of glasses which might be darkish sufficient however don’t wrap to guard your eyes, don’t fret. You may make little flaps of duct tape to cowl the perimeters of your glasses! This can be a frequent funds repair we see steadily within the open air.
Let’s discuss prescription glasses and contacts. You probably have the means to spend money on a prescription pair of glacier glasses, you’re golden. You’ll be able to both ship your prescription to glasses producers immediately or you should purchase a pair of frames and convey them to your optometrist to make customized lenses for you. When you put on glasses, it’s additionally a good suggestion to carry with you a spare pair of glasses in addition to a pair of goggles that may match over your frames in case all else fails!
Contacts are a effective possibility for imaginative and prescient correction within the mountain setting should you’re already an skilled contact-wearer. When you go together with contacts, you’ll must be diligent maintaining together with your eye hygiene. Ensure you have glasses as a again up! Many individuals who use contacts additionally will carry a pair of light-lenses goggles. On Mt. Rainier, it will possibly get windy and dusty through the summit try. The sunshine lenses within the goggles are good for climbing at night time and holding filth out of your eyes!
You probably have questions on the very best eyewear system for you, don’t hesitate to succeed in out to our workplace! We’re geared up to reply any questions you could have.
