Seeing Things in a Whole New Light – Giving the Paleo Treatment to Sunglasses
During the three years I've lived in Australia, I've spent a lot of time wearing Sunglasses (or, as they're more commonly known in Australia, Sunnies). Even in the winter here, it's often very bright and sunny (even if the air is cool). In the summer, it gets really bright and sunny. Sunglasses – well, that's what they're for isn't it, wearing in the sunshine?
The more I've found out about Paleo, the more I question other aspects of my life, sunglasses being one such example.
Whilst early examples of sunglasses have been seen as far back at the 12th century, they didn't become common until the early 1900's. That's not even five generations ago. Whilst correlation is certainly not causation, it is interesting to note that 25-35% of people of a European descent have Myopia (short sightedness) today, whereas a study of hunter gather tribes revealed Myopia in just 0.4% of the population (1) As well as diet, could widespread use of sunglasses be responsible for the widespread decline in eyesight?
Some estimates suggest Indigenous Australians have been here for up to 70,000 years, surviving for 69,900 without needing sunglasses? Why are they now they essential for optical health?
Sunlight entering the eyes takes two courses – one for vision, the other goes to the hypothalamus gland. This pathway seems to have a crucial role in the body clock, energy and hormone production (including melatonin). It would make sense for the body to use this pathway to regulate circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms ensure sleep and wake cycles occur properly, and that the body is in tune with seasonality. Therefore doesn't it stands to reason that wearing sunglasses, and reducing the sunlight entering your eyes, will impact these functions?
This would tie in with anecdotal observations I've heard that when not wearing sunglasses, people get less sunburnt, then when they do wear sunglasses. Perhaps wearing sunglasses also leads to people staying out in the sun for longer than they would without sunglasses?
In the spirit of n=1 self experimentation, I'm going to wean off the sunglasses this summer and see what (if any) impact it has on me. Will my new found improvements in my sleeping patterns improve further still? Will my eyesight improve?
I'll report back in a future post any differences I've noticed.
Do you wear sunglasses? Do you think it is foolish not to wear sunglasses throughout the Australian Summer? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments, below!
Is Sunlight Really the Enemy? Rethinking Sunglasses in a Paleo Lifestyle
In the Paleo community, one of the most powerful shifts is learning to view modern habits through an ancestral lens. We question food, movement, light exposure, and even the ways we sleep and connect. So it makes perfect sense to challenge another modern “norm” — wearing sunglasses.
Mainstream advice insists sunglasses are essential in strong sunlight, particularly in places like Australia where UV levels are high year-round. We’re told sunglasses prevent eye damage, protect from UV rays, and reduce the risk of cataracts. But are we missing a broader conversation here? Might sunglasses — like sunscreen, artificial lighting, and processed food — be yet another modern “solution” with unintended consequences?
The Circadian Link: Light, Eyes & Health
Emerging research suggests that full-spectrum sunlight, including early morning sun exposure, plays a critical role in regulating our circadian rhythm — the internal body clock that affects everything from our sleep cycles and hormone production to metabolism and energy levels.
Light signals received by our eyes (specifically the non-visual retinal pathway to the hypothalamus) help regulate melatonin production. Morning light exposure suppresses melatonin (helping us wake up), while dimmer light in the evening allows melatonin to rise (helping us fall asleep).
Blocking that natural light with sunglasses may disrupt this process — particularly when used constantly, even when UV levels are low. Could that daily habit of reaching for your sunnies the moment you leave the house be silently affecting your energy, sleep, and hormone balance?
What If the Sun Isn’t the Enemy?
We’re told to fear the sun, but sunlight is also our most natural source of vitamin D, a hormone with a critical role in immune function, inflammation regulation, and mood. It's estimated that 30–50% of Australians are deficient in vitamin D — despite our sunny climate.
While sunglasses don’t block vitamin D production (which occurs through skin exposure), their use may influence how long we stay in the sun. If your eyes are shaded, your brain may receive fewer warning signals about brightness and potential overexposure — meaning you stay out longer than your skin would naturally tolerate.
Additionally, there’s speculation that sunlight hitting the eyes may influence skin tolerance and tanning response. This ties into anecdotal reports of people burning more easily when they wear sunglasses.
So Should We Ditch the Sunnies?
The answer might lie in balance. This isn’t about being anti-sunglasses — but about being intentional in how and when you use them. Instead of reaching for them reflexively, try this:
Get early morning sunlight directly into your eyes (without looking directly at the sun) for 5–10 minutes — a powerful circadian cue.
Reserve sunglasses for high-glare situations like driving, long beach days, or on the water where reflected UV is intense.
Build sun tolerance gradually by spending short periods outside without sunglasses during safe UV times.
Choose sunglasses wisely — overly dark lenses can signal your brain that it’s dim out, potentially throwing off your internal light clock even more than necessary.
Your Eyes Were Designed for Sunlight
Our ancestors didn’t have sunglasses — yet they thrived under the sun. It’s worth asking if modern eye issues are the result of sun exposure itself — or the combination of too little natural light, too much artificial light, and other dietary and lifestyle factors like inflammation, insulin resistance, and seed oil consumption.
In an evolutionary context, we might argue that moderate, intelligent sun exposure without sunglasses could actually support long-term eye health, not harm it.
Try It for Yourself: Your Own Sunglasses Experiment
Just like switching to a Paleo diet, going sunglass-free takes time. You may feel more sensitive to light initially — just as your body had to adapt to burning fat for fuel. Gradually increase your light exposure and pay attention to changes in:
Sleep quality
Morning energy
Tolerance to sunlight
Eye strain and vision clarity
As always, listen to your body — and use common sense. If you’re driving into the afternoon sun, wear your sunnies. If you’re out at sunrise for a walk? Maybe leave them behind.
Have you tried reducing your reliance on sunglasses? Did it impact your sleep, energy, or skin response to the sun? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below — I'd love to hear your take.
Let’s rethink the way we view sunlight — and what our eyes might really need.
Hi, I just stumbled on your blog recently — it’s nice to find more paleo/primal types in Australia! 😀
I’d actually be really curious to hear about your experimentation with sunglasses as well! I do agree that the longer I follow a dietary and lifestyle choice that questions CW, it makes me want to question any CW that I come across!
That said, I’m very short sighted, and started to become short sighted at age 16… but I never wore sunglasses until some years after that. When I was a kid my family spent tons of time outdoors, bushwalking, hiking, abseiling, kayaking, etc, etc, and we never wore sunglasses. I spent a large amount of time squinting at the sunlight, to be sure, but no sunglasses.
When I got older (after I was already wearing glasses for short-sightedness), I found my eyes got more and more sensitive to the sun, until they would actually be watering and painful in bright sunlight. That’s when I started wearing sunglasses.
But I ended up going with the theory that having pale coloured eyes meant I was more sensitive to the sun. All the people around me with pale eyes would scrabble for sunglasses, like me, whereas my brown-eyed friends never felt the need for them. When I lived in Japan for three years, the only people I ever saw wearing sunglasses were other foreigners. None of my (brown-eyed) Japanese friends felt the need for them.
Of course, I don’t have anything besides personal experience to back up my theory! All I know is what I see and experience. That’s why I’m curious about your experiment!
I’ll also note that while I found the sun bright in Japan, I felt less need for sunglasses there than in Australia, and never wore them there. And I have a few Japanese friends in Australia who wear sunglasses here, but never thought to wear them in Japan. Perhaps the Australian sun itself is somewhat to blame? Indigenous Australians had more time to evolve to be suited to the life here than us imported whites (and Asians, and so on) after all!
Anyway, rambling on now, but I just wanted to say hi, and that I’m interested in your theory and your experiment! This coming summer will be my first in Australia after about three and a half years in Japan, so maybe I’ll try it without sunglasses too and see how I go! 😀
Hi Cassiel, Welcome back to Australia!
That’s really interesting.
I wonder if your eye sight would change if you spent as much time outsdoors, as you did when you were a child? All that natural light must have a huge effect?
Actually, I have read a few things about eye colour, that could well be the case.
I’ll let you know how it goes!
Hi,
Just found your blog through Mark’s Daily Apple (from your posting of StrawberryCoconut icecream – YUM- think I’ll be trying that). As Cassiel said, it’s nice to find more primal people here in Oz.
I usually wear sunnies only when I’m driving and it’s a very bright day. I needed to get reading glasses (and not very strong magnification – 1.75) quite a few years ago when my arms were no longer long enough (I was approaching 50 at the time). Since then my presciption has not changed. In fact I can still read in bright light without the glasses. My friends of a similar age who wear sunnies whenever they’re outside and have done for years are all moving into bifocals and multifocals and continually getting new scripts for reading glasses. Now it could just be luck of the draw/genetics or it could be the extra light I exposed my eyes to by wearing sunnies only infrequently. Very anecdotal – as a science teacher I’m asking myself “and what were the variables controlled?”
Digging deep into the recesses of my brain I remember about twenty years ago, reading a book on improving vision naturally. One of the exercises was to close your eyes and look at the sun for some time (can’t remember the time required). Whatever it was I did it and the other exercises about changing focus from close to distant when reading or watching TV or working on the computer. The focus changing probably helped, and I get my students to do it now.
Enough babble. I’m glad I’ve found your blog and I’ll be interested to see how you go without sunnies this summer (assuming we get a summer – spring is a little disappointing this year with very little in the way of bluesky days so far).
Sandie
Hi Sandie, great to have another Aussie on board – you know, I’m starting to think there are a lot more of us over here than I first thought!
It’s so good you haven’t had to get a new script for so long – there has to be something in it. I’d love to see more controlled studies on these kinds of things, though sadly as there is no money in it for drugs companies I guess studies aren’t likely!
That’s great you’re a science teacher, do you have free rein to put an evolutionary science perspective on what you teach?
I used to have sunnies or photochromatic lenses on my glasses.
My new optometrist said get rid of the sunnies etc and he put a UV film over the lenses of my glasses for protection.
Agree re the changes to sleeping.
Interested to see your response