The Vision Council kicks off another annual National Sunglasses Day on June 27th. Their awareness campaign not only led to record sales of sunglasses last year but a greater awareness nationwide of the importance of protecting your eyes against the harmful rays of the sun. 2018 promises to be another explosive year for awareness of the necessity of sunglasses for people of all ages.

A Brief History on the First Colored Glasses

Did you know sunglasses have a long and varied history? In fact, sunglasses were not always used as eye protection from the sun. Highly polished stones such as quartz and emeralds were used for a variety of reasons in early history.

Way back, it is believed that during Nero’s reign he held polished gems up to his eyes to watch the gladiators fight. Chinese judges wore smoky quartz glasses at least as far back as the 12th century, possibly even earlier. Their use of these colored glasses was not protection against the sun’s rays, however. The judges wore them to mask the expressions of their eyes as they interrogated witnesses.

In the mid-1700s, a man by the name of James Ayscough invented the first tinted spectacles. Still not for protection, these lenses were thought to help with certain vision impairments. Later, in the 1800s and into the early 20th century, glasses were tinted with brown or yellow-amber color to help people with syphilis, who had light sensitivity.

Sam Foster began to mass produce sunglasses in 1929. They were inexpensive and made to protect the eyes from the sun’s rays. He sold these first commercial sunglasses from F. W. Woolworth’s, on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Sunglasses as Important Protective Eyewear

There is no doubt people can make a statement with the eyewear they choose. Sunglasses now come in all sizes, shapes, and colors. The most important thing about them, though, has to do with the protection of the eyes.

Now more than ever, our eyes need protection against the sun’s harmful rays. The sun’s ultraviolet rays can cause a host of problems, including macular degeneration, cataracts, skin cancer around the eyelids and corneal sunburn, to name a few. Wearing sunglasses with the proper level of UV protection will help keep your eyes in good shape.

Get Involved

You can participate in the National Sunglasses Day celebration by sharing information about the importance of wearing sunglasses for eye protection. On June 27th, post your selfie on your favorite social media outlet using #SunglassSelfie to celebrate #NationalSunglassesDay. Let’s help spread the word.

The Frohlich, Gordon & Beason, P.A., attorneys hope you and your family have a safe and enjoyable summer. Remember to protect your eyes! We have offices located in Port Charlotte, Englewood and North Port to serve southwest Florida communities. Contact us for a free consultation for your personal injury case. We are the attorneys who care.