| It may shock you to learn that | | | | beaches of Atlantic City, New Jersey. |
| sunglasses weren't always used to | | | | Foster's sunglasses were sold at |
| protect people's eyes from the sun. The | | | | Woolworth on the boardwalk. |
| history of sunglasses dates back to | | | | In 1936, sunglasses became polarized |
| ancient China and Rome. It has been | | | | when Edwin H. Land began using his |
| reported that the Roman emperor Nero | | | | patented Polaroid filter when making |
| enjoyed watching gladiator fights | | | | sunglasses. Around this time, even more |
| through polished gems. In China, | | | | Americans started buying sunglasses. |
| sunglasses were used in the twelfth | | | | Famous movie stars and musicians also |
| century or even earlier. Sunglasses were | | | | began to wear sunglasses. They started |
| first made out of lenses that were flat | | | | to become not only a way to protect |
| panes of smoky quartz. These types of | | | | against sun glare, but also a way to be |
| sunglasses could not correct vision, or | | | | "cool." Sunglasses became a cultural |
| protect from harmful UV rays, but did | | | | phenomenon, and some people wore them |
| reduce glare. Chinese judges used the | | | | even when it wasn't sunny, or when they |
| smoky quartz glasses to hide their | | | | were indoors. |
| facial expressions when they | | | | Today, sunglasses continue to have |
| interrogated witnesses. | | | | advances. UV protection has almost |
| Sunglasses did not undergo further | | | | become an industry standard, and there |
| changes until about the eighteenth | | | | are sunglasses available for a variety |
| century because of the work of James | | | | of sports. There are numerous tints |
| Ayscough. He experimented with tinted | | | | available for sunglasses, and sunglasses |
| lenses in spectacles. Ayscough was | | | | have changed styles over the years. |
| steadfast in the belief that glasses | | | | Prescription glasses have also been |
| tinted with a blue or green color could | | | | given tints that only appear when the |
| potentially correct specific vision | | | | sun's rays hit the glasses. In 2004, |
| problems. Ayscough was not concerned | | | | Oakley developed a brand of sunglasses |
| with protecting the eyes from the suns | | | | that had a built-in digital audio |
| rays. | | | | player. Many blind people now wear |
| Sunglasses underwent the change into the | | | | sunglasses, and many recognizable |
| popular item they are today when Sam | | | | celebrities can be found wearing |
| Foster introduced them to America in | | | | sunglasses. Even fictional characters |
| 1929. These sunglasses were designed to | | | | can be seen wearing them. Sunglasses |
| protect people's eyes from the sun. | | | | have come a long way from their early |
| Foster sold his sunglasses on the | | | | Roman and Chinese history! |