Wearing sunglasses on the underground

[Leafyhouse]

Why do people do it? I just don't get it. AIBU?

Sensitive eyes & migraine. But then I don’t tend to give a fuck if it bothers people. Find something else to be annoyed about.

I have prescription sunglasses - it’s a faff taking them on and off and swapping for normal glasses so I usually just keep them on

I did it when I was suffering from horrendous allergic conjunctivitis-induced photosensitivity. My eyes looked horrendous, they also hurt and consequently streamed from any kind of light source, including those in tube carriages. I guessed there were probably some people judging me and thinking I was a weirdo, but at the time I was so miserable I didn't care.

I have aspergers and wear them because of the lights and also to avoid eye contact.

Good point. I thought maybe it was about trying to look fashionable, but I agree that fluorescent lighting / dust would be a factor. Apparently everyone wears sunglasses on the tube in Italy. Or is that just an Internet rumour?

The other day I went for a makeup trial and the make up was so heavy I kept my sunglasses on on the tube because I thought looking like a knob in sunglasses was better than looking like Barbara Cartland

I was very ashamed to do it though!

I know someone with a glass eye who always has to wear shaded glassrd

To hide behind. Sometimes it's nice to feel a little hidden.

It annoys idiots.

My grandfather used to say, "to make you ask silly questions."

I sometimes forget to take my sunglasses off.

Mum did this after eye surgery

I dont want to carry them...and sometimes i cant tuck the arm into my top

So its keep them on my face or hold them in my hands

Fluorescent lighting and dust is less of a factor than prescription sunglasses! They have to keep them on or there would be a lot of blind people wandering around!

As MANY people have said, mine are prescription and I can't be arsed taking them on and off all day.

Mine are prescription ones. I can't always be arsed changing them when i go inside and even though they look dark to others i can see well inside wearing them.

For me - so I can read in the sun. 95% of my commute is above ground so to stop being dazzled by the sun I just leave them on then as I'll be going outside shortly after getting off the tube I leave them on.

Mine are also prescription and sometimes I don't realise I haven't swapped them for my glasses until well into the journey.

My contact lenses get really dry so I often wear sunglasses on the tube, some of wind generated by trains can really cause me problems

What a weird thread. I can’t think that the answer to why someone is wearing sunglasses on the tube will ever b that interesting plus it’s none of your business.

The lighting on the tube and buses is harsh enough to fry your eyeballs.

I hide behind mine and they are prescription sunglasses so it's a pain having to get my ordinary glasses out of my bag and then swap them.
Also I have sensitive eyes especially in summer. The fluorescent lights and all the people stress me out - the sunglasses are calming.

Idiotic question? None of my business to ask? It was just a fleeting question, a point of curiosity that's all. Not trying to ram my agenda down anyone's throat people, so please calm down people. Why does such an innocuous question still get flamed?

So the summary seems to be: prescription sunglasses, allergies, tube lights, eye contact. A host of reasons in fact, not all to do with looking cool. The wisdom of MN! Thanks all for enlightening me! 😀

Because they’re knobs

I just forget to take mine off sometimes! I have them on top of my head still when I'm going to bed.

I thought it was a question to which an average person could think up a few simple answers themselves if they thought about it for a few minutes, rather than posting it on the internet.

Autism and flickering lights.