Sunglasses, as we know them, are recent invention only dating back to 1929. There are accounts of much earlier ‘Sunglasses’ such as Nero holding emeralds to his eyes when watching gladiator fights and Chinese judges in the 1300s wearing quarts glasses to mask their expression.
Even later in the mid 18th century, James Ayscough experimented with tinted lenses but this was in the hope of correcting vision.
Interesting though these accounts may be, none of the designs were intended to protect the eyes from the sun. For sun protection, however, we can go back to ancient Inuit tribes who wore ivory glasses with slits in them to reduce the amount of light entering the eye.
It wasn’t until 1929 that mass-produced sunglasses appeared, developed by Sam Foster who sold them on the beaches of Atlantic City under the name of Foster Grant. Polaroid sunglasses were developed in 1936 by Edwin H. Land who was experimenting with his patented Polaroid filter.
Celebrity Sunglasses
Sunglasses were soon associated with celebrities when many movie stars of that era began wearing them. Some say this was not an attempt to hide but due to the intense light given off by the arc lamps used at the time to illuminate movie sets which gave the actors red eyes! Believe what you will!
However, the association with celebrity status, coolness and fashion stuck and sunglasses are now an essential accessory both in and out of the sun.
Sensitivity
So, apart from looking cool, why do we need sunglasses?
Many people’s eyes are sensitive to bright light so that’s an obvious reason. However, sunlight also contains potentially harmful UV (ultraviolet) radiation which can cause a range of eye problems such as pterygium, cataracts and snow blindness.
In 2006, it was suggested that HEV (High Energy Visible Light) could play a part in age-related macular degeneration and that ‘blue blocking’ amber-tinted lenses might reduce the risk. It’s also important that children have good eye protection in the sun.
Polaroid sunglasses reduce the glare reflected from shiny, non-metallic surfaces such as water and are popular with fishermen, people who play water sports and, of course, people who visit the beach!
Keeping Out The Sun
The effectiveness of sunglasses is usually measured by how much UV they reduce. Experts usually recommend glasses that filter out 99-100% of the UV light and glasses that do this are often labelled UV 400. The requirements are slightly more stringent in Europe.
In addition to UV protection, you should also check their fit. They should be snug around the eyes with a wide temple arms to prevent stray light reaching the eyes. Wrap-around sunglasses are very effective at this and are particularly popular with sports people.
And if they look good and have a designer label, too, they’ll be perfect for any event or function!