Introduction: In an exposed world such are mountains, even minor eye injuries or visual disturbances can affect a person to such extent that he or she becomes completely dependent on others. One such injury is snow blindness, whose severe form can lead to permanent vision loss, so first aid in case of illness is crucial. Purpose: The purpose of this diploma thesis is to present first aid in case of snow blindness, its causes and consequences. The goals are to define the concepts of ultraviolet radiation, snow blindness or photokeratitis, to describe the symptoms and signs of snow blindness, to describe first aid in case of snow blindness, and to identify preventative measures to prevent snow blindness. Methods: We have made a systematic review of professional and scientific literature in Slovene and English on first aid and snow blindness when it occurs. We used the literature published between 2002 and 2019 except for five Slovenian books and one English article. We searched the basic literature online through the bibliographic database CINAHL, ScienceDirect and PubMed, and with the help of COBISS and Google Scholar. Results: With increasing altitude, ultraviolet radiation is increasing, and thus there is more potential for snow blindness. The greatest danger is snow, which can reflect 90 % of the reflection of (ultraviolet) rays from the ground. Firs aid in case of snow blindness begins in the field with recognition of impaired vision and is followed by further measures such as rest in the dark, closed eyes, cooling through closed eyes and application of anti-inflammatory drops or antibiotic ointment and, if necessary, analgesics. The relief of symptoms and signs occurs spontaneously within 24-72 hours. Discussion and conclusion: Vision is one of the most important senses in our lives and it is involved in almost every activity of ours. In emergency situations, not only snow blindness - short-term blindness, but also permanent vision loss can occur. Snow blindness can be easily prevented if one is properly prepared for snow conditions in the mountains. The use of quality sunglasses, wearing hats and, above all, educating on the factors that influence ultraviolet radiation exposure and how to prevent exposure, are crucial. Mountaineers should be aware of the effects of snow blindness and protect their eyes well. Associations within the Alpine and Mountaineering School play an important role in raising awareness of the target groups. Mountaineers and alpinists learn about snowmobiling, including the topic of snow blindness prevention and first aid measures, if it occurs.
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