Sunglasses are an everyday accessory now, but people have been shading their eyes for thousands of years. Here is how sunglasses evolved, from Arctic snow goggles to the polarized lenses we wear today.
The earliest eye protection
The Inuit and other Arctic peoples carved snow goggles from bone, walrus ivory, wood and antler, with narrow slits to see through. By limiting the light reaching the eye, they protected against snow blindness, a painful burn caused by sunlight reflecting off snow and ice.
Ancient Rome has a famous story too: the emperor Nero is said to have watched gladiator fights through a polished emerald. Whether it shaded his eyes or simply soothed them is unclear, and the story may be more legend than fact.
Smoky quartz in China
By around the 12th century, flat panes of smoky quartz were used in China. They offered some relief from glare and, according to tradition, let judges hide their expressions in court. They gave no UV protection.
Tinted lenses in the 18th century
Around 1752, the English optician James Ayscough began making spectacles with blue- or green-tinted glass, which he believed helped certain vision problems. They weren't meant as sun protection, but they paved the way for tinted lenses. In Venice, tinted "Goldoni" glasses are often credited as an early fashion for shading the eyes from sun on the water.
The 20th century: sunglasses go mainstream
In 1929, Sam Foster began selling inexpensive sunglasses on the Atlantic City boardwalk. His company, Foster Grant, helped turn sunglasses into an everyday purchase.
In the 1930s, Bausch & Lomb developed anti-glare aviator sunglasses for US pilots, launched to the public in 1937 under the Ray-Ban name. Around the same time, Edwin H. Land developed polarizing filters, and polarized sunglasses followed in the late 1930s. They became standard issue in many military settings during World War II.
Hollywood and style
Film stars made sunglasses glamorous, from the silent era onwards. Aviators became a symbol of cool, and cat-eye frames defined the look of the 1950s and 1960s. Ever since, new shapes, colours and materials have kept sunglasses at the centre of fashion.
Sunglasses today
- UV protection: modern lenses can block 100% of UVA and UVB.
- Polarized lenses: reduce reflected glare for clearer, more comfortable vision.
- Impact-resistant materials: lightweight lenses and flexible frames make sunglasses safe even for small children.
What began as bone slits in the Arctic now comes in sizes for babies, kids, teens and adults. OLIVIO&CO's Mediterranean-inspired range brings that history to the whole family.
