Light and Circadian Biology #10 - Why Sunglasses Are a Low Dopamine Choice
Circadian Coherence: The Role of Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in Biophysics and Biochemistry of the Eye, Brain, and Skin
The message is clear: wearing sunglasses blocks the activation of POMC in the eye, and using UV-filtering sunscreen does the same on the skin. When you then expose your skin to sunlight, your body cannot produce the necessary cleavage products from POMC, leading to collateral effects that manifest as diseases. It's a straightforward concept, yet it is often overlooked.
Introduction to POMC
Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) is a precursor polypeptide expressed in multiple regions of the body, including the brain, skin, and eyes. It undergoes enzymatic cleavage to produce several bioactive peptides, such as melanocyte-stimulating hormones (MSH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and beta-endorphins. These cleavage products play critical roles in circadian regulation, pigmentation, immune modulation, and metabolic control. The activation of POMC is a biophysical process heavily dependent on light, particularly exposure to specific wavelengths in the ultraviolet spectrum.
UV and blue light directly activate POMC genes in the iris, enabling localized production of ACTH and melanin. This mechanism offers a rapid, autonomous way for the eye to regulate inflammation, oxidative stress, and pigmentation, independent of systemic pathways. It highlights the eye’s remarkable ability to adapt to environmental light dynamically while protecting its tissues at both biophysical and biochemical levels. This localized light response ensures both protection and efficient energy management in response to varying light intensities and spectra.
Biophysics of POMC Activation in the Eye
The eye is a critical interface for light-mediated activation of POMC. Non-visual photoreceptors, including melanopsin-expressing retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) located in the ciliary ganglion, detect blue light (~480 nm). This light signal is transmitted to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus, the central circadian clock, synchronizing the body’s internal rhythms with the external environment. Without direct light exposure, such as when sunglasses block photic input, melanopsin activation is suppressed, reducing the downstream signaling required for POMC cleavage.
In the eye:
POMC-derived MSH peptides: Regulate melanogenesis in the skin by signaling to melanocytes, influencing pigmentation and UV protection.
ACTH: Modulates adrenal cortisol release, linking circadian rhythms with stress responses.
POMC and Circadian Coherence in the Skin
In the skin, light exposure interacts with melanocytes, which contain photoreceptive proteins and POMC. UV radiation, particularly UVB (290–320 nm), induces the production of alpha-MSH, which activates the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) on melanocytes, enhancing melanin synthesis. Melanin acts as a natural sunscreen, protecting DNA from UV-induced damage while maintaining the integrity of lipid rafts and voltage-gated ion channels.
Key biophysical and biochemical effects of POMC-derived products in the skin include:
Melanin production: Protects against UV radiation, supporting mitochondrial function and reducing ROS.
Immune regulation: POMC peptides modulate local immune responses, reducing inflammation.
Energy balance: Alpha-MSH derived from skin POMC contributes to systemic energy regulation by interacting with central pathways.
Disruption from Sunglasses and Sunscreen
Blocking light with sunglasses, sunscreen, or excessive clothing disrupts the biophysical triggers for POMC activation in both the eye and skin:
In the eye: Reduced light transmission to RGCs impairs SCN signaling, disrupting circadian rhythms and hormonal balance.
In the skin: Inadequate UVB exposure diminishes alpha-MSH production, leading to reduced melanin synthesis and impaired protection against oxidative stress.
These disruptions can manifest as:
Circadian dysregulation: Impairing sleep-wake cycles and metabolic coherence.
Pigmentary disorders: Reducing melanin levels and increasing susceptibility to photodamage.
Immune dysfunction: Weakening skin barrier defense and increasing systemic inflammation.
POMC is a central player in the biophysical and biochemical orchestration of circadian rhythms and systemic health. Its activation relies on precise light interactions through non-visual photoreception in the eye and UV-mediated signaling in the skin. Modern habits, such as wearing sunglasses and using excessive sunscreen, block these critical pathways, leading to downstream health issues. To maintain optimal circadian coherence and physiological function, exposure to natural light on the eye and skin must be prioritized, ensuring proper activation of POMC and its cleavage products.
Now for our real world example of where people in the light industry get it ass backwards…
Matt Maruca from Ra Optics says "UV light is harmful, especially in excess". Bon Charge started selling sunglasses that block UV light in 2017, and Ra Optics starts selling sunglasses that block UV light in 2025. Why are these health brands we trusted telling us to create an unbalanced spectrum of light? Isn’t that how we got into trouble with unbalanced light-induced diseases in the first place? Sunlight sets the circadian rhythm perfectly, it doesn’t need a “boost” or to be filtered. The Full Spectrum Truth about BlueSync Sunglasses Why Filtering Sunlight Is a Biological Mistake
Matt Maruca’s recent podcast on Tracy Dhu’s show Hydrate, and release of his new BlueSync Ra Optics Sunglasses may leave listeners with the impression that sunglasses are safe—or even beneficial—for optimizing health and circadian biology. But this interpretation ignores critical context, omits essential photobiology, and fails to account for the biological cost of filtering nature’s full-spectrum light.
Let’s begin with what Matt got right: He lives in the tropics at 9 degrees latitude in Bali and has Irish Fitzpatrick Type 1 or 2 skin with blue eyes—a uniquely sun-sensitive constitution that leaves him vulnerable to excessive tropical ultraviolet (UV) exposure if he bakes in the strong midday sun for several hours. He is biologically mismatched for this environment, which is why he often wears sunglasses and applies mineral-based sunscreen when he cannot find shade or wear a hat, as he himself states. Yes, very strong and excessive UV radiation can pose risks to fair-skinned, light-eyed, and light-haired individuals living in equatorial environments or in high-albedo settings like snowfields or open water near the equator. And yes, light is a powerful environmental force that must be respected—not abused, but how does this apply to the overwhelming majority of humans on planet Earth today?
It does not. Matt's personal biology, environment, and preferences do not apply to 95% of the global population. Let me explain, most people have skin and eyes adapted to sun-rich conditions. Only 10% of humans have blue eyes. Only 15% have Fitzpatrick skin types 1 or 2. And over 85% of humans live outside the tropics. In fact, 80% of the world resides at altitudes below 1500 feet—where UV light is already weaker. Not to mention that ~85%-95% of the world are ultraviolet light deficient, but we’ll get to that shortly. These numbers matter, because they reveal the deep mismatch between what Matt’s product solves for and the biological needs of the average human being.
Questions for Matt Maruca:
a) Matt, it seems like you’re trying to create a solution for a problem that doesn’t exist in today’s world. You’ve mentioned Dr. Alexander Wunsch, stating that extreme UV light is harmful. However, what exactly is the context of "extreme UV"? Dr. Wunsch, who lives in Germany at the 50th latitude with a peak UVI of 7 during the summer, is not exposed to excessive UV. In fact, he experiences zero UV-B for about four months every year.
b) You frequently refer to studies about the harmful effects of UV light, but can you share the specific scientific studies that support the idea of blocking solar UV light is a good idea and applicable for the average person in 2025? c) Alexander has exceptional knowledge in the field of photo endocrinology and chromotherapy, has shared many experiments showing the benefits of full-spectrum sunlight exposure, including UV light wavelengths, without eye protection, for improving health outcomes. Given that 95% of the global population is UV-deficient today in 2025, is it not misinterpreting his work to advocate for the regular use of UV-blocking sunglasses, especially when most humans alive today are not receiving the natural light they need?
d) You’ve acknowledged that some UV exposure is necessary, but then you also say UV is harmful, especially in excess. Can you provide specific context on what dose you consider constitutes harmful exposure—is it 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 2 hours at a UV index of 8, 10, or 12? Also, does this differ for various populations, such as Blacks, Hispanics, or Northern Irish people, given their natural melanin levels?
e) You’ve stated that UVA causes the highest production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), contributing to cellular aging and damage. However, many experts, including renowned mitochondrial biologist Nick Lane, have challenged the idea that ROS are the primary cause of aging. In fact, insufficient ROS can impair the cell’s ability to maintain essential processes and reduce its resilience, leading to diminished repair and regeneration capabilities. Given this, why would it make sense for someone to wear UV-blocking sunglasses during short periods of natural sunlight exposure, especially when ROS are crucial for cellular function and regeneration?
f) Your BlueSync sunglasses are designed to optimize the circadian system while filtering UVA/UVB and HEVL to protect the body from oxidative damage. However, if the body is already struggling with light deficiency, wouldn’t filtering UV further disrupt the natural circadian rhythm and impede regeneration, especially when most of the world is suffering from a lack of full-spectrum light?
g) Finally, Matt, do you really think that by blocking essential UV light—when most people today are light deprived—you’re addressing the core issue, or are you creating a solution for a problem that, in reality, doesn’t exist for the vast majority of people? What percentage of the global population is actually at risk from excessive UV exposure?
We are facing an epidemic of indoor living and overexposure to unbalanced LED light, flicker, and dirty electricity, driving chronic malillumination and a global deficiency of full-spectrum light. Your BlueSync sunglasses only exacerbate this situation by imposing harmful biological trade-offs—filtering out the ultraviolet (UV) and short-wavelength blue light from nature's balanced full spectrum. This interference with natural light reaching the eyes is a disaster for ocular health, as well as for brain function, neurotransmitter production, and hormonal health.
Full Spectrum Light Is perhaps the most powerful Nutrient on planet Earth! Don’t mess with its perfectly designed composition.
The human eye contains several non-visual photoreceptors that directly regulate circadian rhythm, hormone production, and neurochemical balance. Melanopsin, the most well-known, peaks at 479 nm and is most sensitive during sunrise and sunset and Ra Optics have designed their new BlueSync lenses this in mind. But it's not alone.
Neuropsin (OPN5), found in the cornea and retina of the human eye, is activated by UV-A light. It plays essential roles in melatonin regulation, dopamine production, and synchronizing peripheral clocks in the skin, brain, and gut. Blocking this signal—as BlueSync sunglasses do—decouples the eye-brain-skin communication axis that nature evolved to operate as a unified photoreceptive system, while impairing dopamine signaling/production from the aromatic amino acid tyrosine and leaving the eye and brain with what you will soon see is a critical light signaling deficiency and significant biological consequences.
The POMC (pro-opiomelanocortin) gene in the retina is also UV and short-blue dependent. Hence does not get activated in the eye when you are wearing these Ra Optics BlueSync sunglasses outdoors. When properly stimulated, it cleaves into several vital biochemicals including:
α-MSH (melanogenesis, DNA repair)
β-Endorphin (natural opioid, mood booster, pain relief)
ACTH (cortisol entrainment)
Melanocortins (metabolic regulation, mitochondrial signaling)
These molecules are paramount for optimal eye function and not optional—they are fundamental to your ability to adapt to light, regulate mood, recover from stress, and protect against inflammation and disease. You need the 300–460 nm ultraviolet, purple and shortwave blue light from the full spectrum found outdoors to activate them. If you wear these BlueSync sunglasses that block this range, you miss out on all these benefits and deactivate a big portion of the body’s photochemical healing response in the eye.
The message is clear: wearing sunglasses blocks the activation of POMC in the eye, and using UV-filtering sunscreen does the same on the skin. When you then expose your skin to sunlight, your body cannot produce the necessary cleavage products from POMC, leading to collateral effects that manifest as diseases. It's a straightforward concept, yet it is often overlooked.
Allowing and possibly amplifying 479nm While Blocking UV, purple and shortwave blue light from the natural full spectrum found outdoors Is Not a Smart Trade-Off
Maruca’s new lenses are said to allow 479–480 nm light to pass through, while blocking everything with a shorter wavelength below this range. This is problematic. Yes, 479 nm is the peak melanopsin activation wavelength. But it was never meant to act alone. Circadian biology evolved to respond to gradients and ratios across the spectrum, not isolated wavelengths. When you filter the sun, you send a distorted signal to the brain—akin to trying to replicate a symphony by playing just one note louder.
That’s not hormetic or adaptive—it’s biologically incoherent.
Just as problematic, these sunglasses block UVA light (315–400 nm) which is responsible for releasing nitric oxide from the eye’s mitochondria. Infrared light has been shown to stimulate the release of some NO, but by far UV-A has the most profound effect on this vital molecule’s production from endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in the eye. Nitric oxide increases blood flow, supports oxygenation, and reduces intraocular pressure. Does this sound like something you want to reduce in your eye during the day by wearing these BlueSync lenses? Not a chance. Blocking UVA by wearing these sunglasses outdoors will reduce nitric oxide production in the eye and brain, impairing ocular health, increasing disease risk (like glaucoma and acute macular degeneration [AMD]), and hinder detoxification in the eye (floaters).
Structured Water and UV Light: A Hidden Dimension
Biology 101: 99 out of every 100 molecules in the body are water molecules. That’s a staggering amount—and the eyes are no exception. This means that the interaction between environmental light and the water on our biological surfaces sets the stage for everything: the biophysics and the biochemistry of life itself.
Thanks to the groundbreaking work of my good friend Dr. Gerald Pollack, we now know that water doesn’t just exist in three phases—it transforms into a fourth, gel-like, structured phase when exposed to full-spectrum light, especially the infraredand ultraviolet wavelengths. This structured water becomes an electrically charged biological battery—a capacitor that fuels cellular function and biochemical reactions.
In the eye—a profoundly light-dependent, energy-intensive organ—this structuring process is absolutely vital. It maintains mitochondrial health, energy production, and keeps the tissue electrically alive and resilient to disease. When this light–water interaction is disrupted, everything downstream begins to falter.
Enter BlueSync sunglasses. By blocking ultraviolet light, they eliminate half of this structuring story. They may allow the near infrared which functions to set up some structuring, but, they prevent UV wavelengths from reaching the hydrophilic water-based surfaces of the eye—cornea, lens, and retina—where they’re needed most. This means the water battery inside your eye never fully charges. You’ve just capped the energetic potential of your ocular system, impairing mitochondrial function and paving the way for long-term degenerative ocular and brain disease.
Dr. Pollack’s lab showed that 270 nm ultraviolet light builds structured water—known as exclusion zone (EZ) water—on hydrophilic surfaces like every single cell membrane on every single cell in both eyes. This EZ water enhances charge separation, supports mitochondrial redox signaling, and boosts the electrical conductivity of ocular tissue. Block UV light, and you lose this critical water-based power supply.
This is the invisible damage that comes with BlueSync’s design—and you won’t hear this from Ra Optics. What they won’t tell you is that by filtering out UV light, they’re stripping your biology of one of its most powerful energy sources. No warnings. No nuance. Just marketing touting circadian benefits and sleek design with hidden biological consequences.
The RF Problem: Metal Frames as Antennas
To make matters worse, Ra Optics sells metal-framed BlueSync sunglasses. From a radiofrequency engineering standpoint, this is a very basic error they would realize if they had health in mind instead of fashion. Metal in contact with skin acts as an antenna, concentrating EMFs on sensitive cranial nerves and eye tissues. It’s well-documented that localized exposure to RF radiation can alter calcium signaling, disrupt mitochondrial function, increase permeability of the blood-brain barrier, electrically disrupt neuronal signaling and dehydrate cells in the face by lowering mitochondrial water production. You can clearly watch this being scientifically measured in a popular YouTube demo showing dramatic increases in RF_EMF radiation at the metal frame glasses. You’d be self-sabotaging to put these on your face once you understand the consequences occurring at the speed of light. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwXCclZ04Yk
How can a product claim to support circadian biology while acting as a conduit for nnEMF to the brain?
What About Matt’s Claims on the benefits of these BlueSync Sunglasses?
Maruca mentioned he felt better in the morning wearing the glasses and they helped him with jetlag. But no biomarker testing was provided or data comparison to the same flight without wearing the BlueSync sunglasses. No HRV improvements. No melatonin, leptin, or dopamine panel. No long-term trial comparing sunrise exposure vs. filtered light. Nothing but a subjective report.
So where is the datathat these lenses enhance circadian biology and neuroendocrinology better than not filtering the full spectrum of light outdoors?
It doesn’t exist. What does exist are data showing the risks of filtering sunlight:
Seasonal Affective Disorder – from UV, purple and blue light deficiency
Myopia – from reduced retinal dopamine and under-stimulation of the retina
Leptin resistance – from disrupted Leptin-Melanocortin and Orexin-Vasopressin circadian inputs to the hypothalamus
Depression, anxiety, addiction – from lack of β-endorphin release due to under activation of proopiomelanocortin (POMC) and UV-induced neurotransmitter balance
So, assuming Ra Optics comes out with beneficial data to back up their claims on circadian benefits, we’ve already established that these sunglasses may be useful for 5% or less of the global population—given the probability of these unique individuals’ very specific lifestyle choices and unique personal contexts of living in a deeply mismatched environment to their biology and engaging in chronic, high-intensity, reflected sunlight environments. But these are being marketed to everyone… regardless of their level of vitamin D deficiency (UV light deficiency). If you have insufficient UV exposure on your skin, you absolutely have insufficient UV exposure in your eyes. In the U.S., Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, 95% of people have vitamin D levels below 60 ng/mL—a threshold clinically recognized by integrative medical doctors and biophysical health experts globally as NECESSARY and NEEDED for good immune regulation, mitochondrial function, hormone production, and chronic disease prevention. That means ~95% of people who will buy these BlueSync sunglasses are already biologically impaired by insufficient UV light—and when they wear these sunglasses outdoors, they will EXACERBATE their poor health with an additional poor health choice.
A large portion of the target market for BlueSync are teenagers in the U.S., who are already suffering from skyrocketing mental health issues such as addiction, anxiety, depression, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Wearing these sunglasses outdoors during the day, as Ra Optics recommends, will only further deprive their brains of naturally produced opioids like beta-endorphin—normally stimulated by UV, violet, and shortwave blue light entering the eye and brain directly. Here’s the kicker: over 44 million teenagers live in the U.S. alone, with 9 million diagnosed with clinical addiction. Their brains are already starved of full-spectrum light. Giving them these glasses would only deepen their addiction reward tracts via dopamine and serotonin deficiency, and beta-endorphin starvation. These BlueSync sunglasses are the wrong tool for the wrong population at the wrong time.
Human eyes and brains need less blocking the sun, not more.
There are ~128 million Black's and Hispanic's in North America, Europe and the UK who already have in-built UV light 'protection' in their eyes and are deficient in Vitamin D.. Why would this gigantic population benefit from wearing these UV blocking sunglasses?
When BLUblox, now called Bon Charge, began selling blue light blocking sunglasses in 2017, they compromised their ethical standing by shifting away from products that genuinely supported light-based health. Now, Ra Optics is following a similar path. I still believe Matt Maruca genuinely wants good outcomes for his customers and means well, and while he continues to offer reasonably effective blue light blocking glasses, this move with BlueSync Sunglasses is absolutely a step in the wrong direction—one that risks undermining the trust and health-first ethos that built his brand in the first place.
Biological Consequences of wearing BlueSync Sunglasses to filter sunlight
Wearing these sunglasses outdoors results in:
🔒 Blocked UV/purple/short-wave blue light → Loss of neuropsin activation and POMC-derived hormone benefits, reduced dopamine, serotonin and thus melatonin production in the brain → reduced executive function, muscle fiber function, happiness and increased mood disorders/swings.
❌ No β-Endorphin or α-MSH in the eye → Reduced UV tolerance, skin protection, mood regulation
⚡ Weakened eye’s mitochondrial function and reduced nitric oxide release → Weakened zeta potential electrical voltage on red blood cells (RBCs) in the eye, poor oxygenation and eye vascular function/blood flow
🧬 No EZ/structured biological water enhancement due to blocked UV → Lower mitochondrial efficiency and brain performance
🧠 Disrupted hormonal entrainment → Sub-optimal melatonin, leptin, and cortisol timing
📉 Distorted circadian cues → Incomplete spectrum = incomplete signal = misaligned clocks
📡 RF antenna risk from metal frames → Increased EMF exposure to brain and retina
💊 Big Pharma blueprint → Treating one "problem" (sun sensitivity) while causing ten others and making strong sun sensitivity worse
Final Word
Nature makes no mistakes. Light evolved to signal biology across a full spectrum—from UV to infrared—through intricate photoreceptor networks in the eye, skin, and brain. Filtering this light should only ever be done in extreme situations—not as a baseline health tool.
Ra Optics built its reputation by helping people block artificial blue light. But this product filters the very light we evolved with—without disclosing the biological cost. That’s not science. That’s marketing. And now that you know the trade-offs, you can choose more wisely.
Unless you live on a glacier, sail in the equator daily, or have red hair, blue eyes, and no access to shade in a tropical environment during solar noon—keep your sunglasses off and let the full spectrum heal you.
You’re not smarter than nature. And neither are any pair of natural light filtering, RF-amplifying designer sunglasses like BlueSync. 1. Creating a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist by focusing on excessive UV light exposure in environments where most people are UV-deficient and don’t experience extreme UV intensity.
2. Alexander Wunsch’s research on light and biology is brilliant, but it lacks context for modern populations living in environments with little natural UV exposure.
3. UV light is a vital component for health, and we’re already seeing a deficiency in modern society, so creating products that block more UV light will exacerbate the growing crisis of eye and brain health.
4. The vast majority of people today are spending nearly all their time under unbalanced light, flicker, and dirty electricity—these modern environmental stressors are a much larger biological issue than excessive UV exposure.
5. In today’s world, most people are not exposed to extreme UV light—products that block UV further only contribute to the problem of insufficient natural light.
6. We must prioritize solutions that restore balance to our exposure to light, not create more unbalanced signals that only compound the health problems of modern society.
7. The push to block UV light, especially when people are already UV deficient, is not just misguided—it is a step backward or de-evolution in understanding of light's essential role in human health. Jack Kruse's X Comments: https://x.com/DrJackKruse/status/1909711474861150310 Reference: In 1969, Philip Salvatori, a prominent figure in Obrig Laboratories and the Environmental Health and Light Research Institute, conducted an experiment where a patient was fitted with two different contact lenses: one UV transmitting and one non-UV transmitting. Under artificial light with no UV exposure, both pupils appeared the same size. However, when exposed to natural sunlight, the pupil covered by the UV transmitting lens was significantly smaller, indicating that the eye’s photoreceptor mechanism responds not only to visible light but also to UV light. This suggests that blocking UV light can cause the pupil to remain larger, explaining why some individuals feel a greater need for darker glasses when UV light is limited, highlighting the complex relationship between light wavelengths and ocular health.
Reference:
1. Jack Kruse's X Comments: https://x.com/DrJackKruse/status/1909711474861150310
2. In 1969, Philip Salvatori, a prominent figure in Obrig Laboratories and the Environmental Health and Light Research Institute, conducted an experiment where a patient was fitted with two different contact lenses: one UV transmitting and one non-UV transmitting. Under artificial light with no UV exposure, both pupils appeared the same size. However, when exposed to natural sunlight, the pupil covered by the UV transmitting lens was significantly smaller, indicating that the eye’s photoreceptor mechanism responds not only to visible light but also to UV light. This suggests that blocking UV light can cause the pupil to remain larger, explaining why some individuals feel a greater need for darker glasses when UV light is limited, highlighting the complex relationship between light wavelengths and ocular health.