Hundreds of people have complained of feeling “overstimulated”, “confused” and “disoriented” whenever they wear sunglasses – and they are desperate to know why.
The strange phenomenon dubbed by some as “eye imprisonment” has left those affected wondering why this is happening.
Roxana, from Germany, shared her struggle in a now-viral TikTok video, claiming she “can’t see” while wearing sunglasses.
“I would love to be one of those girls who always wears sunglasses, but every time I wear them, I feel like I can’t hear or see,” Roxana said in the clip.
More than 3,000 people shared their own experiences, with one woman saying she feels “separated from the world” when wearing sunglasses.
“I can’t concentrate,” one wrote.
“It makes me feel claustrophobic,” added another.
“No one has ever understood me when I say this,” admitted a third.
A young German woman claims she “can’t see” when she wears sunglasses. Others said they too feel “overstimulated”, “confused” and “disoriented” (file image)
‘Can anyone explain it? Because same thing, girl,’ someone else said.
“The other day I took off my sunglasses just to smell my hair,” added one more.
Australian ophthalmologist Dr. Jacqueline Beltz shared her experience on the topic, explaining that the link between sight and smell is “not fully understood,” but there is a connection.
Australian ophthalmologist Dr. Jacqueline Beltz (pictured) shared her experience on the topic.
“What we do know is that the brain depends on visual queues to correctly process auditory information,” Dr. Beltz explained to FEMAIL.
“Studies have shown that subjects find it more difficult to process sound when they look away from the source of the sound. This means that our brain needs to work harder to make sense of what we hear if we are not looking towards the sound, and this is true even in the dark.
«Our brain likes to relate what we hear with what we see, and that is probably also why ventriloquists can fool us. That said, many people with low vision can hear well and many people with hearing problems do not have any vision problems.
“Presumably, some people may be more sensitive than others to changes in or overstimulation of adjacent senses.”
The sunglasses issue may seem strange at first, but TikTok comments indicate that it may be more common.
“There is no clear scientific explanation, but we can assume that general dim lighting has more of an effect on some people than others. Also, sunglasses can really interfere with vision in certain circumstances,” Dr. Beltz said.
It also suggests that sunglasses can interfere with vision in certain circumstances.
The polarized lenses of sunglasses block horizontal light rays, reducing the effect of glare from certain surfaces, such as water and roads.
“It is normal to have difficulty seeing LCD screens such as phones or tablets when wearing polarized sunglasses because those screens also include a certain degree of polarization and having both at the same time can generate a kind of ‘conflict’ between the two, which makes make the screen appear dark or even black,” said Dr. Beltz.
“Sometimes in these circumstances, vision can be improved by adjusting the angle of the screen or increasing the brightness or, of course, removing polarized sunglasses.”
Research by Specsavers suggests that people with lighter colored eyes are at greater risk of serious eye conditions such as macular degeneration, cataracts and ocular melanoma caused by increased sensitivity to UV rays.
“We know that the brain relies on visual queues to correctly process auditory information,” Dr. Beltz told FEMAIL (file image)
Seeing an optometrist for an eye checkup would be highly recommended for anyone experiencing these types of problems or for anyone looking to improve their eyesight.
Dr. Beltz said some people might be suitable for laser vision correction or other surgeries to reduce their dependence on glasses.
“Eliminating the need for glasses wouldn’t necessarily solve the sunglasses problem, but it would mean that sunglasses wouldn’t need to be prescription and it would also remove one factor from the equation,” he said.
It is recommended that adults over 40 years of age have an annual eye exam. Anyone who has problems with their vision or the comfort of their eyes should seek a check-up as soon as possible.