‘OMG!’: Reason you ‘can’t see’ while wearing sunnies
A woman has perfectly described a common phenomenon many people face, proving there’s no such thing as a unique experience.
Health
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Have you ever felt that when you wear sunglasses, your eyes are trapped in an “eye prison”? Or perhaps, as soon as you put on the frames, it seems like you suddenly lose the ability to hear and think clearly?
Well, you’re not alone, according to a video that has gone viral on TikTok.
“I would love to be one of those girls who always wears sunnies, but whenever I wear them, I feel like I can’t hear and I can’t see,” said @roxxanaa29 in a clip that has amassed over 3.4 million views.
The comments section showed she wasn’t the only one feeling this way.
“Can someone explain? Because same, girl,” wrote one person.
“The other day, I took my sunnies off just to smell my hair,” another admitted.
Someone else described the sensation as “being detached from the world.”
“Especially when driving, I feel like I’m restricted from seeing fully,” another commenter shared. “I can’t even park while wearing sunnies.”
“Why can we not see with sunnies on?!” another confused user asked.
“Whenever I wear sunnies, I feel like I want my normal eyes back,” someone else replied, while another said it makes them feel “claustrophobic.”
An expert weighs in
Dr Jacqueline Beltz, a leading Australian ophthalmologist, explains that the connection between hearing and sight is not completely understood, but there is definitely some link between the two.
“What we do know is that the brain relies on visual cues to process auditory information effectively,” she told news.com.au.
Studies have shown that subjects find it more difficult to process sound when they are looking away from its source.
This means our brains must work harder to make sense of what we hear if we’re not facing the sound, and this holds true even in the dark.
“Our brains prefer to match what we hear with what we see, which is likely why ventriloquists can mislead us,” Dr Beltz, founder of the beauty brand for sensitive eyes, Okkiyo, explains.
She adds, “Having said this, many people with low vision can hear perfectly well, and many people with hearing impairments don’t experience any visual problems at all. Some people may simply be more sensitive to changes or overstimulation of adjacent senses.”
Regarding the issue of sunglasses specifically, she notes that while this effect is not commonly reported, the TikTok comments suggest it may not be as rare as one might think.
“There is no clear scientific explanation, but we might presume that dimmed lighting has a greater effect on some people than on others,” she suggests.
Additionally, sunglasses can indeed interfere with vision under certain conditions. For instance, polarised lenses in sunglasses block horizontal light rays, which helps reduce glare from surfaces such as water and roads.
It’s normal to struggle to see LCD screens – like those on phones or tablets – when wearing polarised sunglasses because those screens have some level of polarisation too.
This situation can create a ‘conflict’ between the two, making the screen appear dark or even black.
In such cases, adjusting the angle of the screen or increasing the brightness can help, or simply taking off the polarised sunglasses may provide relief.
Dr Beltz highly recommends visiting an optometrist for an eye examination if you are experiencing these types of problems.
An optometrist can help you find eyewear that is suitable for your activities and screen for any underlying eye issues.
Over 40 per cent of Aussies unknowingly put their sight at risk
The viral video comes after new research reveals a worrying trend when it comes to protecting our eyes, especially for those with lighter-coloured eyes.
New research from Specsavers shows that Australians with blue, green, and grey eyes, around 42 per cent of the population, are at higher risk of serious eye conditions like cataracts, macular degeneration, and even ocular melanoma due to increased UV sensitivity.
Despite this, only a fraction of people with lighter eyes wear sunglasses regularly, even during peak UV months.
26 per cent of blue-eyed, 22 per cent of green-eyed and 12 per cent of grey-eyed Australians always wear sunglasses year-round.
And even more concerning is that 42 per cent of blue-eyed, 38 per cent of green-eyed, and 27 per cent of grey-eyed people wear sunglasses all the time over the summer months when UV levels peak.
During this same period, just 32 per cent of all Australians consistently wear sunglasses outdoors.
Off the back of these sobering statistics, Optometrists across the country are urging Australians to make sunglasses a daily essential, regardless of the season.
Wearing sunglasses that offer 100 per cent UV protection can significantly reduce the risk of UV-related eye damage, preserving vision and overall eye health.
Specsavers Optometrist Kalp Shah warns, “The sun’s UV rays can cause irreversible damage to the eyes so it’s crucial for Australians, especially those with lighter-coloured eyes, to wear sunglasses every day to protect their sight.
“I recommend investing in sunglasses that block 100 per cent of UVA and UVB rays.”
More Coverage
Originally published as ‘OMG!’: Reason you ‘can’t see’ while wearing sunnies
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