What do Tom Cruise, Leonardo di Caprio and President Obama have in common? A Ray Ban eyeglass is the answer. Tom Cruise and fellow pilots sported Ray Ban Aviators in the hit movie Top Gun. Reportedly, sales of the brand rose 40% in the 7 months following release of the film. Leonardo di Caprio – obviously – wore Aviators in the film of the same name about Howard Hughes. And, apparently, President Barack Obama’s eyewear of choice is the Ray Ban 3217, color 006/71.
Ray Ban eyeglasses were developed by Bausch and Lomb, an eye care company still based in Rochester, New York. They were made for pilots to help protect their eyes while flying. Bausch & Lomb now manufactures contact lenses and related products. The company became widely known because of its popular Ray-Ban brand of sunglasses, developed for pilots in 1936. Ray-Ban began selling these glasses to the public just one year after they were developed. The brand was sold to the Italian Luxottica Group in 1999.
Ray-Ban Aviator sunglasses have a timeless look. They are instantly recognizable by their unmistakable teardrop shaped lenses. This shape was designed to prevent as much light as possible from entering the eye from any angle. They have characteristic dark, often reflective lenses with an area two to three times the area of the eye socket. Furthermore, the neutral gray, transmits only 20% of incoming light. The large lenses are not flat but slightly convex. The design attempts to cover the entire range of the human eye. Metal frames have bayonet earpieces or flexible cable temples which easily hook behind the ears. This distinctive style has allowed Aviators to move far beyond their original purpose of protecting the eyes of pilots. They have become extremely popular among celebrities, rock stars, and other citizens of the world. This iconic look has already lasted for more than eighty years.Capitalizing on this history, the company has developed a new line of Ray Ban eyeglasses. 
The Iconic Aviator sunglasses are a collector’s item made of titanium and plated with yellow or white 18k gold. They go even further by offering enhanced polarized protection. The glasses have a hydro-oleophobic coating, the purpose of which is to allow moisture to slide off the lens. Enhanced color visibility, and 100% UV protection are other features.Other designs in the range of Ray Ban eyeglasses include the Clubmaster, as worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s; Jackie Ohh, named after a woman who was herself more iconic than even the Aviators; and the Wayfarer. Ray-Ban considers that the Wayfarer sunglasses are the most recognizable style in the history of sunglasses. Given the popularity of the Aviators this is an interesting claim. Nevertheless, the Wayfarer’s distinct shape quickly endeared itself to many groups including Hollywood filmmakers, celebrities, musicians, and artists. The enduring popularity of Ray Ban eyeglasses is due to continuous updating of materials and colors. The continuous appearance of the glasses in movies and other media also helps to seal Ray Ban’s continuing success.