Historical Overview of Sunglasses
Sunglasses have been in use for centuries and have evolved over time into what they are today. They were not always the fashion accessory they are today. Similarly, they were not always used for the same reasons they are today either.
Surprisingly, the first form of what we call sunglasses today were not originally developed to shield eyes from the sun or help poor vision. In Ancient China, sunglasses were developed out of smoky panes of quartz glass. Judges wore these prehistoric Ray Bans as a way of keeping their expressions to themselves. Little did they know that poker players centuries later would adopt this same technique.
Ancient Rome can also take part of the credit for today's sunglasses. The Emporer Nero, while watching gladiator fights enjoyed doing so through polished gems. It is possible that the Emporer saw the benefits of filtering the sun's rays as a way of reducing glare and seeing more clearly. It is even possible that he enjoyed these early sunglasses because he thought the gladiators looked better in different colours. Sunglasses today are available in any lens colour you can imagine.
During the eighteenth century, the design of the sunglasses were altered by an inventor seeking to use colour as a vision correction. He was convinced that blue and green tints helped the eye see better when vision was poor. He had no reason to consider the advantages of shielding the eyes from the sun, as no one knew what a UVA ray was at the time. It was not common knowledge during this time that the sun could be harmful and cause future vision problems.
Sunglasses proper were finally introduced in the United States in the early twentieth century, around 1930. These innovative eye pieces were marketed on the boardwalks of Atlantic City and promised to protect the wearer's eyes from the harmful sun. It was in this same decade that polarization of the lenses was developed as well. The inventor of the famed Polaroid camera integrated his Polaroid filter into the makeup of the sunglasses' lenses. This technology, which is still used today, was the greatest step of its time toward the protection of the eyes from the sun.
Since the 1930's, sunglasses have steadily become a favourite accessory for everyone from the true fashion icon down to the style victim novice. Sunglasses have been implemented as a way of showing off one's style, sophistication, and social status. Individuals have made their own styles famous and timeless. The most famous of all the sunglasses style icons is unarguably the late Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis, or simply 'Jackie O', whose oversize framed sunglasses, named for the famous Fist Lady remain as popular today as when she first wowed the world with them back in the 1960s.
Sunglasses have come a long way over the centuries. They have evolved in uses, styles, popularity and technology. Sunglasses play an important role in popular culture. It is difficult to imagine where and in what form they will turn up next. Keep your eyes open-and your sunglasses handy-to find out!
Written, re-written and configured for content and SEO purposes by the Happy Helmet Biker Friendly team.
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