Chionablepsia

/ˌkaɪənæˈblɛpsiə/ noun

Definition

Temporary blindness or eye strain caused by the glare of snow in bright sunlight; also called snow blindness.

Etymology

From Greek 'chion' (snow) plus 'ablepsía' (blindness). A medical term combining two Greek roots to describe a specific eye condition caused by ultraviolet reflection off white snow.

Kelly Says

Chionablepsia is what Inuit peoples discovered and prevented long before modern sunglasses—snow reflects 80% of UV rays, making it one of nature's most dangerous reflective surfaces, yet the Greek medical term came centuries later.

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