Snow goggles are necessary to avoid so-called “snow blindness.” Many would think it’s a modern invention, but nothing could be further from the truth; the first ones were invented by indigenous Eskimo peoples hundreds of years ago.

Ancient snow goggles

Photo keratitis or snow blindness is a condition that results from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet radiation present in sunlight. This condition is common among athletes who engage in skiing and other winter activities, as well as people residing in regions near the poles, where snow covers the ground for most of the year.

For this reason, certain communities living in territories within the Arctic Circle, such as the Inuit and Yupik, have used a unique type of glasses or goggles to protect their eyes for centuries.

These goggles are known as “ilgaak” by the Inuit and “nigaugek” or “iyegaatek” by the Yupik. Traditionally, they were made from materials such as spruce wood, bone, walrus ivory, or caribou horn. In the absence of these materials, seaweed was also used. They have a curved and narrow shape designed to fit the face and completely cover both eyes, allowing only necessary light to penetrate through the narrow slots carved into them.

These slots, which are just a thin horizontal line on the device, are narrow not only to limit the amount of light entering but also to improve the user’s visual acuity. The inside of the goggles is covered with soot to reduce glare.

The artifact is secured to the face by a cord made of caribou tendon. Additionally, the Yupik devised a unique model with multiple slots similar to Venetian blinds, providing a wider field of view while protecting against winds and intense light.

Ahead of its time invention

For centuries, the Inuit exclusively made these goggles from bone, as wood was scarce in the Arctic, and they had no access to it from other regions. It was only in the early 20th century that specimens made of wood began to appear.

According to research conducted by Danish ophthalmologist Mogens Norn in the 1990s, in collaboration with specimens from museums in Denmark and Greenland, it was determined that “ilgaak” reduces exposure to ultraviolet radiation in a range that varies between 2% and 8%.

It was also observed that Greenlandic goggles were slightly larger than those from Canada, and all of them limited the user’s field of vision, which could pose a certain danger by not allowing them to see depressions in the terrain.

So, what are the advantages of these traditional creations over conventional ones? Primarily, they do not fog up or ice over in the cold polar climate. According to the Vancouver Maritime Museum, which houses a magnificent specimen in its collection, this simple but ingenious invention surpasses modern high-tech sunglasses.

Despite this, today, most Arctic residents in America, Asia, and Europe choose to use modern sunglasses. A somewhat strange custom considering all the advantages offered by the traditional ones.