What is "photophthalmia"

Photophthalmia /pho·toph·thal·mia/ (fōt″of-thal´me-ah) is ophthalmia or inflammation of the eye, especially of the cornea and conjunctiva due to exposure to intense light of short wavelength (as ultraviolet light), as in snow blindness.

It involves occurrence of multiple epithelial erosions due to the effect of ultraviolet rays, especially between 311 and 290 nm. Snow blindness occurs due to reflection of ultraviolet rays from snow surface. Photoretinitis is another form that can occur due to infra-red rays (eclipse burn of retina).