# Why are the rescued miners still wearing sunglasses? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 15, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237 "2010-10-15T13:02:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/1 "2010-10-15T13:02:04Z")
I understand that they have been in a dark environment for months, and that sunglasses would be prudent thing to have when they first came out into the daylight, but is there any particular reason that the miners would still need to be wearing sunglasses more than 24 hours after their rescue? (They’re even still wearing them indoors!) Personally, I spent a comparable time without seeing the sun (i.e. artificial light only) aboard a submarine on several deployments. We had fluorescent lighting though, and it certainly wasn’t as dark as what the miners experienced. Still, we didn’t take any particular precautions when we finally surfaced. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAlecCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SmartAlecCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAlecCat)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/2 "2010-10-15T13:37:18Z")
They’re all rock stars now… ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/3 "2010-10-15T13:45:43Z")
Oakley donated 35 pairs of $180 sunglasses for the advertising effect. It would be rude not to wear them, at least when on camera. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/4 "2010-10-15T13:55:41Z")
Having been in both, I don’t think you can compare conn to a mine. (Incidentally, this whole incident allowed me to share some family history with my children and have it resonate with them a bit better. Many of my family used to work in coal mines, and one of my great-grandfathers died in a mining accident.) ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/5 "2010-10-15T14:14:18Z")
Just saw on the news it is for eye protection. They need to adapt. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/6 "2010-10-15T14:21:40Z")
Two months in near total darkness is way different than serving on a submarine. Sure, the miners had some lights, but with limited power the lighting in the mine was very, very dim. Their eyes adjusted, and will need a little time to readjust, not just a few hours or a day. ---
**Author:** ![gumpy3885](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d9b06d/32.png) [@gumpy3885](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gumpy3885)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/7 "2010-10-15T14:43:12Z")
I read an article (can’t remember the source) that said that there is an enzyme that helps control the muscles in your eye. It is responsible for the closing/widening of the iris. When a person is in very dim conditions for a long period of time, the enzyme breaks down and the iris remains very open. It takes time to rebuild this enzyme to normal levels, thus the reason the miners must be very careful to protect their eyes. They will need to gradually expose themselves to brighter lights over time to re-engage that muscle. It would be dangerous for them to be exposed to bright lights (cameras, flashes, sunlight, etc.). ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/8 "2010-10-15T22:05:54Z")
I observed some coming out during the night. Why have sun glasses on at night? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/9 "2010-10-15T22:14:20Z")
> [@robcaro](#): > > I observed some coming out during the night. Why have sun glasses on at night? High beams, police lights, streetlamps, and so on. In a lot of places, even nighttime is pretty bright. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/10 "2010-10-15T22:17:09Z")
> [@robcaro](#): > > I observed some coming out during the night. Why have sun glasses on at night? So they can watch you weave, then breathe your story lines. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/11 "2010-10-15T22:18:48Z")
> [@robcaro](#): > > Why have sun glasses on at night? So they can keep track of the visions in their eyes. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/12 "2010-10-15T22:19:59Z")
Here I come in to make a Corey Hart joke and I’m double scooped by two frickin’ minutes. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/13 "2010-10-16T02:11:36Z")
Thanks for the replies. I since came across this [article](http://ktar.com/category/health-news-articles/20101013/Sports-sunglasses-aim-to-ease-miners%27-transition/), which states: > [@](#): > > …The biggest eye concern for the miners as they reach the surface includes possible light damage to the retina, said Dr. Andrew Hartwick, assistant professor at the College of Optometry at Ohio State University. There is potential for solar retinopathy, in which the photoreceptors- the cells within the eye that capture light- can deteriorate, he said. > > After being in the dark for a long period, the mechanisms by which the retina protects itself against damage from bright light can diminish, but Hartwick was unsure if lighting conditions in the mine were low enough to be dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![dukette71](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8edcca/32.png) [@dukette71](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dukette71)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2010, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-the-rescued-miners-still-wearing-sunglasses/557237/14 "2010-10-16T03:16:33Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > > [@robcaro](#): > > > > I observed some coming out during the night. Why have sun glasses on at night? > > High beams, police lights, streetlamps, and so on. In a lot of places, even nighttime is pretty bright. and then the flash bulbs and spotlights. I think I would have needed glasses too.