What is the real reason why pilots wear sunglasses?
Sunglasses aid in protecting a pilot’s most important sensory asset: eyesight. To maximize visual performance in the cockpit, a good pair of sunglasses is necessary.
Sunglasses shield the ocular tissues from damaging solar radiation, lessen the effects of strong sunshine, and lessen eye strain. Furthermore, they shield the pilot’s vision from flying debris from bird strikes, abrupt decompression, and aerobatic maneuver impacts.
Wearing sunglasses can also help with the process of dark adaptation, which is slowed down by extended exposure to bright sunlight.
However, why do pilots actually wear sunglasses?
David Tussey, ex-US Navy A-7 Corsair II pilot, explains on Quora;
‘Well, in the cockpit, when you’re up at altitude, the sunlight is absolutely blinding. You need to either wear good sunglasses or have your dark visor down. Otherwise, you will be blinded on a bright, sunny day. It’s way worse than on the Earth’s surface.
‘I used to wear sunglasses when flying later in my career because I needed corrective lenses for my eyes. Sometimes I wore clear glasses and used a dark visor, but sometimes I’d wear the dark sunglasses alone.
‘That’s the tactical reason, but certainly, over time, it’s just become part of the image of a fighter pilot and part of the mystic. It looks cool and helps provide that cocky, confident self-image. So basically, ego.’
Tussey concludes;
‘Plus, chicks dig ‘em.’
Photo by Paramount