Imagine walking down the street on a bright day, looking towards the sun without having to squint. Today, shielding your eyes from bright light is as simple as opening a case and putting on a pair of dark lenses. Yet this everyday gesture is the result of a fascinating evolution that began thousands of years ago for reasons unrelated to fashion or protection against ultraviolet rays.
In fact, the first documented use of this accessory was intended to conceal human emotions in a place where truth was meant to be sacred. To discover which civilisation first began covering its eyes and how this invention reached us, read on.
Who invented sunglasses, and what is their history?
To answer the question of who invented sunglasses, we need to travel back in time, because there was no single creator, but several inventors throughout history.
The concept emerged in two very different places and for entirely different reasons:
The Inuit and snow blindness
More than 2,000 years ago, Inuit people in the Arctic regions created the first forms of eye protection. They used wood, animal bones or walrus tusks rather than glass. They carved a very narrow slit in the centre to limit the amount of light entering the eyes. Their aim was to prevent the blindness caused by sunlight reflecting off white snow.
Judges in ancient China
The true predecessor of dark lenses appeared in China in the 12th century. The plates were made from smoky quartz. Interestingly, they were not invented for going outdoors. Chinese court judges used them to hide their expressions and eyes during trials. This prevented anyone from guessing whether the judge agreed with a witness’s testimony.
The arrival of modern sunglasses
The transformation into the product we know today happened much later. In the 18th century, optician James Ayscough began experimenting with green and blue lens tints, believing that these colours could correct certain specific vision problems.
The real commercial breakthrough came in 1929, thanks to Sam Foster. This entrepreneur began selling the first sun-protection models on the beaches of Atlantic City in the United States. They were an immediate success, transforming a health accessory into a style icon.
Frequently asked questions about the origins of sunglasses
What was the first material used for dark lenses?
The first material used to dim vision through flat lenses was smoky quartz in 12th-century China. The lenses did not correct eyesight; they simply reduced the light passing through them.
When were UV filters added to lenses?
Ultraviolet protection filters and polarising technologies were refined from the 1930s onwards, driven by the needs of military aviation pilots.
Why did sunglasses become so popular in the 20th century?
They became a mass phenomenon thanks to the stars of classic Hollywood cinema, who wore them to avoid being recognised by fans in public.
