Warning: tanning is not fully understood, so take the following with a grain of salt. Wearing sunglasses makes sunburns more likely. Why? Light hitting the optic nerve signals the pituitary gland to produce melanin – the body’s main defense against burning. It’s also what makes you look tan. Sunglasses, in effect, trick our bodies. The optic nerve registers less light and thus the pituitary gland produces less melanin…meaning less of a defense, less of a tan, and more vulnerability to burning.Of course, it’s also theorized that melanin production is triggered by UV rays hitting deeper layers of the skin….and it may be a combination of the causes.
In any case, it’s important to protect your eyes from UV radiation. Don’t discard the glasses, just think about taking them off for a minute or two every once in while. You might get the best of both worlds: a better tan and better protection.
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