Should You Ever Wear Sunglasses Indoors?

There’s something undeniably cool about wearing sunglasses, and sometimes you’ll even see especially cool people wearing them indoors. For example, Bono, Anna Wintour, and Bob Dylan have made noteworthy appearances in their shades at indoor events.

Although it certainly can't hurt, you don’t have to be a movie star or a celebrity to wear your sunglasses indoors. In fact, there are several very good reasons to wear sunglasses even when you’re inside. Some of these may seem superficial and silly, some are backed by medical experts, and some are quick fixes you can keep in mind for rough days. Whatever the reason, rest assured that, yes, you can wear your sunglasses indoors, although there are two caveats (we’ll get to them soon).

Photophobia

Medical conditions such as migraine headaches, dry eyes, and brain injuries can cause photophobia, a complaint in which light causes physical discomfort. One of the simplest solutions for photophobia is to wear sunglasses everywhere you go, at least while your eyes are sensitive to the light.

People who have had concussions often complain about problems with glare and bright lights. While this problem usually resolves itself within six months of the injury, you can relieve the symptoms by wearing sunglasses both indoors and out.

Emotional trauma can also cause photophobia in some cases. An interesting study from 2008 found that a high percentage of patients who voluntarily wore their sunglasses indoors suffered from non-organic visual loss.

Migraines

A lot of people suffer from Migraines. Lighting or Bright lights from incandescent bulbs or "cool white" colored bulbs can definitely add to the pain of a migraine. So if you ever find yourself having a migraine, that's a great time to wear sunglasses indoors to help ease some of the pain.

The Silly and Superficial Reasons

You don’t need a medical reason to wear your sunglasses indoors. The following reasons may not have a lot of substance behind them, but we’ve all had days when these excuses to wear sunglasses indoors look very attractive.

To Hide Your Eyes

They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but there are some days when you’d rather keep yourself hidden. Maybe you have a black eye or dark circles from not enough sleep. Maybe you have a stye, or your eyes are red from allergies or crying. Whatever the reason, you can comfortably hide them away behind a stylish pair of shades.

To Be Mysterious

Maintain that stylish and mysterious feeling you have behind your sunglasses even when you’re inside. There may be times and places when you’d like to seem extra cool--grab your sunglasses to achieve that look.

To Go Incognito

Have you ever wanted to go somewhere and not be recognized or noticed? Maybe you’re feeling a bit antisocial and don’t want to have to talk. Or maybe you’d like to scope a place out without having to commit to anything. The bigger the sunglasses, the less likely you are to be recognized by anyone you might be trying to avoid.

The Caveats

We’ve covered the reasons you might want to wear your sunglasses indoors, but we also mentioned that there are a couple of caveats.

The first is that wearing sunglasses indoors might be considered rude, depending on the company you’re with and the type of event you’re attending. For example, unless you’re Bob Dylan, it’s probably not wise to show up at the White House wearing your sunglasses. On the other hand, dress codes are becoming more and more relaxed, so use your best judgment.

The second caveat is that you can actually increase your sensitivity to light and pain when your eyes are not exposed to normal daylight. If you don’t actually suffer from photophobia, it’s a good idea to allow your eyes to function the way they’re designed to by removing your sunglasses while you’re indoors--at least some of the time.

Moral of the Story: Can I wear sunglasses inside? 

Well, of course, you can. And depending on what your specific reason is, yes, you can wear sunglasses indoors.

If you’re looking for the most unique sunglasses NYC has to offer, check out our online shop and pop up shop. You’ll find sunglasses that look good indoors and outdoors, and you’ll also find plenty of options so your sunglasses are the perfect match for you. We have men’s sunglasses, women’s sunglasses, and unisex sunglasses. Come find the perfect pair today!