It’s not long now until trips to the country’s more mountainous regions could feature blizzards and deep snow.

If you find yourself in a whiteout you don’t want to be without a pair of sunglasses; snow blindness can lead to impaired vision, swelling, a gritty feeling in the eyes and appalling headaches.

It’s caused by a combination of UV rays from both the sun and reflections from the snow, burning your cornea.

The best way to prevent it is to wear snow goggles. But – if you’ve forgotten sunglasses – duct tape and a knife could come to the rescue. (Tip: roll a couple of metres of duct tape around your walking pole or ice axe for emergency use). If you don’t have duct tape, try a piece of card or some fabric

1.  Cut a piece of duct tape about 30cm long

2.  Fold it in half (with the sticky side on the inside)

3.  Cut two slits (not holes) for the eyes and a triangle for the nose. The slits shouldn’t let in too much light but should allow you to see what’s in front of you

4.  Make a headband by cutting a hole close to both ends of the tape and threading a rolled up length of tape through each hole so it fits snugly around your head. You could also use a piece of string or a bootlace for this.

5.  Use a small patch of tape to secure the headband to the goggles.

We think you’ll agree – this alternative offers the sort of style that ensures you’ll never forget your shades again!