HISTORY OF SUNGLASSES

It may shock you to learn that sunglasses weren't always used to protect eyes from the sun. The history of sunglasses dates back to ancient China and Rome. It is said that the Roman emperor Nero enjoyed watching gladiator fights through highly polished gems.

In China, sunglasses were used in the 12th century or even earlier. Sunglasses were first made out of lenses that were flat panes of smoky quartz. These types of sunglasses could not correct vision, or protect from harmful UV rays, but did reduce glare. Chinese judges used the smoky quartz glasses to hide their facial expressions when they interrogated witnesses.

The other uses for sunglasses came about in 1430 when Italy introduced eyeglasses that could correct vision. After that year, little by little, sunglasses were used for correcting vision and sun protection but they were still mostly used by the judges to prevent people from reading their expressions.

Sunglasses did not undergo further changes until about the mid 18th century, when James Ayscough began experimenting with tinted lenses in spectacles. These were not "sunglasses" as such; Ayscough believed blue or green tinted glass could correct for specific vision impairments. Protection from the sun's rays was not a concern of his.

Interestingly, yellow/amber and brown tinted spectacles were also a commonly-prescribed item for people with syphilis in the 19th and early 20th centuries because of the sensitivity to light that was one of the symptoms of the disease.

In the early 1900s, they were also known as sun cheaters (or simply cheaters) and at this time, the use of sunglasses started to become more widespread. Sam Foster popularised them when he introduced them to America in 1929. His sunglasses were specifically designed to protect people’s eyes from the sun. Foster sold his sunglasses on the beaches of Atlantic City, New Jersey and at Woolworth on the boardwalk.

In 1936, sunglasses became polarized when Edwin H. Land began using his patented Polaroid filter when making sunglasses. Around this time, even more Americans started buying sunglasses. They started to become not only a way to protect against sun glare, but also a way to be "cool." Sunglasses became a cultural phenomenon, and some people wore them even when it wasn’t sunny, or when they were indoors.

Today, sunglasses continue to have advances. 100% UV protection has almost become an industry standard, and there are special sunglasses available for a variety of sports like golf, fishing, skiing and cycling. Over the years, numerous tints and styles have become available. Prescription lenses can now be perfectly clear when not in the sun and then darken to suit the sun’s brightness when outdoors. These are known as Photochromic lenses.