Shades

Shades | Phoenix, AZ | 2015

Ten years ago, a doctor in the UK came up with a fascinating theory: Sunglasses cause cancer. The physician proposed that sunglasses block ultraviolet light that triggers body defenses to increase the hormones that fight skin cancer. Medical studies have noted the rise in cancer rates after WWII, when military pilots adopted the use of tinted lenses (Ray Ban’s aviation glasses) and glamour-seeking stars in the movie industry popularized the style. Flip side: Shades can help reduce eye maladies, such as macular degeneration. They also squelch sun glare, which reduces squinting, which reduces wrinkles. And, of course, they look darned cool.