for some it is cosmetic especially if the blindness is accompanied by either deformity or the 'wandering eyes' that some have for others it is to provide a visual prompt to sighted people along with the whte stick for those with some residual sight it is As CD suggests most often to protect from light sensitivity, but also in some cases to minimise glare effects to allow them to use what residual sight they may have,
My late Mother's husband was blind but could see shades and some shapes, he was told by his specialist to wear blackout glasses while walking with his stick or his guide dog so he can learn to totally rely on his senses that still work and not get confused by mixed signals, he would need to totally trust his dog or his ability to use his stick, not try to see something that may not be an accurate image.
It makes sense about the staring eyes i guess. It could cause embarrasment if your eye is accidentally fixed on something it shouldn't be (like a lady's bottom) without your knowledge. Thanks.
Being registered blind does not always mean you can see nothing at all. In some cases you can still see shapes, light and dark etc and depending on the cause of your blindness bright light can be very harmful to what sight you may have left.
I have to say as a blind person, I wear sunglasses as I can still see some things but light sensitivity gets to you a lot, also with shadows, it makes judging pavements and proximity of cars easier with sunglasses on than not. Not Everyone who uses a white cane/guide dog/is 'blind' is totally blind, blind does not equal black/darkness. Visit the RNIB website for further education.
As mentioned many times above people may be registered blind but have some degree of vision. You can be registered blind withhold central vision but have very poor peripheral vision, or hav poor central vision but very food peripheral vision. This will vary depending on the condition causing the low vision status.
Certain conditions such as macula degeneration, cataract, corneal dystr
Corneal dystrophies and retinitis and uveitis can cause big issues with glare. Having tinted lenses reduce this 'discomfort glare' and at the same time can provide better contrast. Amber coloured lenses are often used to enhance contrast to help people with poor vision see kerbs etc in more detail. The same colours are used by target shooters for the same reason.
The larger tinted spectacle shields also provide UV blocking to reduce the damage caused inside the eye by UV.
Also, there can be a risk of injuring your eyes on objects if you are total, and glasses protect them. You might walk into a door frame, or damage your eye area on another kind of object because you don't get the visual warning. My sister nearly walked into a ladder hanging off the back of a van once, and I only just managed to warn her in time. The dog has difficulty judging things that are overhanging at head level because they are so much higher than his/her body.
Blind people wear sunglasses as a shield from UV (UltraViolet) radiation that may come from any light like the sun and it is not just a simple fashion standard for blind people the way people with normal vision show fondness on fashion accessories on stores or online sites like http://www.shopandmodel.com/. Light can cause intense pain anbd through the glasses they wear they get spared of the inconvenience that it m,ay cause them.